Code Geass: Snow of the Rebellion
by sayume214
Summary: They say history is meant to be repeated. Schneizel was placed in the the throne under Lelouch's control but broke free. Britannia will threaten the world again. This time, it is her turn to stop him. She will become the new Zero as a new battle unfolds. Action, psychological.
1. The Beginning of the Aftermath

Disclaimer: The rights for the production of Code Geass belong to Okouchi Ichiro and Sunrise. I'm writing this as entertainment and take no credit for the canon material and characters used.

STAGE 1

**The Beginning of the Aftermath**

After the public death of the 99th Emperor of Britannia, Lelouch vi Britannia, his tyrannical government ended and peace reigned in the world.

The United States of Japan was acknowledged world wide as a nation.

Britannia assumed a peaceful government when the 100th King, Schneizel el Britannia, ascended to the throne. Everyone was grateful for his great ruling that had brought Britannia to peaceful terms with all other nations, albeit it was still to join the United Federation of Nations. What few knew was that those actions were the orders of a man that had resigned himself as he adopted a new identity, Zero.

Suzaku Kururugi became the head of the Black Knights, who dispersed soon afterwards. It was decided that the Black Knights were to separate until the circumstances asked for their return, which would hopefully never be the case.

A new identity was in order for Suzaku. While still holding on the mask of Zero in secret, he was publicly known as Kurou Sarukabe, Knight of One. Along with him, a new order of Knights of the Round was born; it was formed by new people with a different perspective as to what was there to protect.

After the Black Knights' separation, Kallen Kouzuki continued and finished her high school education. Then, took a year off her studies to travel and see the world. The following year, she signed up in the Air Forces. Three years later, she married former Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg, who continued his education as well and became a professor at Ashford Academy.

Ashford Academy's former Superintendent, Ruben K. Ashford, died from a heart disease soon before Gino started working there. The superintendent's office was taken by his granddaughter, Milly Ashford, who was deeply hurt about his death.

Cornelia li Britannia quit her right to ascend to the throne and became the ambassador of Britannia inside the USJ. Two years later, she got engaged with Gilbert Guilford, who had quit his knighthood 6 months previous to that.

Nunnally vi Britannia quit her right to the throne as well and became one of the most influential figures in diplomacy. Within her projects, she was determined to make Britannia part of the UFN, which brought as a result her friendship with Kaguya Sumeragi, the chairwoman of the UFN, and Empress Tianzi, who had a lot of influence in the organization too. The past had not quite been forgotten yet by all nations. To make Britannia join the UFN was a challenge Nunnally assumed knowing it would take many years to accomplish successfully, but she was determined.

Jeremiah Gottwald resigned from his position in the Royal Army and became involved with the techonology research of Lloyd Asplund and his wife Cecile Croomy; both had become renowned names in the scientific fields of technology developement. Since the war was over, Knightmare frames were considered a thing of the past, and this allowed technology to flourish in the medical, engineering and energy fields. With time, Jeremiah Gottwald became the CEO of a company allied to former noble Asplund's research.

Before one year of marriage, Kaname Ohgi and Villeta Nu had a baby boy together. They named him Len.

Many things occurred while in peace. Before anyone knew it, eleven years had passed, over a decade of wonderful peacefulness, when the Middle East was attacked by none other than the Britannian forces despite there not having been any declaration of war previous to that event. This shook the entire world in astonishment. The attack was, effectively, ordered by Schneizel el Britannia. This was confirmed that late evening in a world wide broadcast of him justifying that action by declaring his life to have been threatened by someone within the government in that country.

The Knights of the Round, the Black Knights, the UFN and the entire world were awestruck.

A war exploded in the world yet another time.

Sometime, approximately two years before this event took place, Schneizel el Britannia snapped out of his younger brother's control. From that point on, he secretly planned for Britannian agents to mix with other countries' governments as ambassadors and, as disclosed by the UFN when it was too late, they were reporting classified information to the King in person. Moreover, many countries were still in the middle of their own growth after being freed from Britannia's empire. Due to that, Britannian forces had the upper hand when the war began.

As soon as the King's broadcast was watched by millions of baffled viewers, Suzaku Kururugi fled from the Pendragon Imperial Palace after leaving a letter of resignation as Knight of One. While a search for him was issued, the investigation led nowhere. Kurou Sarukabe seemed to disappear off the face of Earth.

Along with Suzaku, Nunnally vi Britannia was, at first, judged for being related to the King. Her words of denial were not listened. She had no choice but to abandon the UFN.

The Black Knights reassembled in new quarters to plan a comeback under the command of Suzaku Kururugi in the mask of Zero. At his side, supporting him, were mainly Kallen Kozuki, Kaname Ohgi, Villeta Nu, Jeremiah Gottwald, Rakshata Chawla, Gino Weinberg, Kaguya Sumeragi, Nunnally vi Britannia, now a supportive member, former viceroy Cornelia li Britannia, Empress Tianzi and Li Xingke, among others. The Black Knights became affiliated with the Kyoto House and Asplund Technology, who provided artillery support.

The Black Knights' surprise attack at the Pendragon Palace took place four months after the war started. The Black Knights seemed to have the advantage in the beginning. They all had learnt a lot from their original leader; the only one they ever referred to as Zero and whom Suzaku, they knew, could not aim to equal. Still, their plan did not succeed.

Everyone in the organization knew firsthand what Schneizel's power could do. However, most were convinced something was manipulated so that it failed, and it had been by someone _other_ than the King of Britannia.

The attacker's true identity was kept in the dark to the public. Schneizel refused to let the people know a new Zero was back; he knew such news would bring hope and more rebellions could emerge from that.

Suzaku Kururugi was captured and was up for execution. The public excuse for such act dictated he had made use of a fake identity and committed several treacherous acts while he functioned as Knight of One.

Suzaku's demise was made official by every newspaper in Britannia. However, because his execution was not broadcasted, nor any proof of his sentence being executed was given, several from the Black Knights held their doubts, but then, Suzaku's situation was unfavorable; it didn't seem likely, or even possible, for him to escape.

Without a leader, the Black Knights could not organize a comeback. It was decided they would be at an impasse until they found a capable leader and then dispersed again. But the years passed and that leader did not appear. With time, they all forgot about the organization. It seemed so distant in past, many no longer believed in it and abandoned it in oblivion.

Time flew and nine years passed without anything changing for good. The war was still ongoing, but the resistance was no longer threatening. The UFN disintegrated, which only weakened each country's defense.

The world was in fear, knowing the world was most likely going to be subject to another era of Britannian domination. Britannia was the strongest country and plans to re-conquer areas were surging. No Zero of hope appeared.

At Ashford Academy's student dorms, a 17-year-old girl was not messing with anyone while simply sleeping on her bed. She had her uniform on and was not covered by any sheets.

Her room's door was knocked twice softly. When she gave no response, another two louder ones followed.

Because there still was no answer, the maid at the other side took the liberty to enter. She was a fair, honey blonde woman of a medium height of 1.60 meters. She wore a purple maid dress with long sleeves, a white apron with matching white headband, simple brown shoes and a blue ribbon around her neck.

When she saw the girl sleeping soundly with her legs sprawled on her mattress and in her uniform, without a care for appearances, she sighed. This was actually a daily event.

She did as always. She opened the curtains to let the morning's sunrays touch her face. The teenager's green hair shone and her creamy white skin looked radiant as she grimaced in sleep and turned so her back faced the light; that was her usual reaction.

The maid knew what to do next. She walked towards one side of her bed and lifted her mattress so the girl rolled down and hit the floor.

A muffled scream was heard. Yes, she was finally awake.

Pressing her right hand against the part of her forehead that had hit the floor, she growled in pain and sat on her knees. She opened her eyes and a couple of deep violet irises were revealed. Those half mad eyes headed for the one standing on the opposite side of the bed. She knew who the culprit was; it was always her.

-Good morning, Lady Sophia. – The maid smiled.

She growled inwardly. They both knew she was just holding her laughter and hid it behind that smile.

-Andrea! – The girl spoke out, sounding upset. - That's not the way you wake someone up!

-Ah, do you mean that I should be gentler when waking up nobility, Miss? – She asked with a smile, already used to that response.

Sophia looked down, inwardly upset about her comment.

-No. – She replied serious. - I meant exactly what I said. Nobody should be woken up that way. – There was a melancholic air to her violet eyes as she said that.

Andrea looked at her and blinked before assuming seriousness herself. After serving the girl that sat pensive on the floor for 5 years, she knew what was going on in her mind; she knew she did not like to be recalled of her status.

Andrea immediately put on another smile and accommodated the mattress back on the bed.

-Lady Sophia, you shouldn't sit on the floor or you'll catch a cold, especially because that skirt, I insist, is very short.

Sophia chuckled and stood up. She had heard from Superintendent Ashford that the uniform had been the same for generations; even she had worn it when she was a student.

Andrea looked at her. That girl had grown up a lot. They used to be the same height when she started working for her and now she was a whole 10 cm taller than her. She had also become more beautiful with time. Unfortunately, she was not very kept and apparently held a religious belief that she shouldn't spend more than three minutes grooming.

Andrea sighed outwardly.

-Miss Sophia, why did you sleep with your uniform on? Now it's all creased and unpresentable.

-Oh, nobody cares, Andrea! – Sophia laughed.

-Yes, somebody does care! I care, Miss Sophia! I have told you many times, you would really look very beautiful if you just wore good clothes and, at least, did something with your hair!

-And I've told you many times I like it loose, Andrea. – She replied smirking. – Besides, if I would look 'beautiful' if I do that, then the more reason not to do it! I'm seriously tired of all the boys hitting on me the way I look already. Argh, I shudder at just the thought of how many more trash that'd make me receive in Valentine's Day! I got plenty last year and it was annoying. I had to clean my P.E. locker _and_ my locker neighbors', as well as my desk at the classroom _and_ the desks of my friends! Did you forget already the huge pile of cards they all slid under this room's door and the sticky notes on the window? Oh, but what brought me nightmares were the hordes of boys from all over the Academy, even from lower and higher grades. They hunt me down all day and I couldn't lose them no matter where I ran! I had to hide in the guys' bathroom!

Andrea snickered.

-That is because Miss Sophia is an attractive young lady.

Sophia blushed a bit and shook her head.

-Forget it Andrea, I'm not going to.

-Very well, at least wash your face and brush your hair before having breakfast, Miss.

-OK… - Sophia responded while rubbing her eyes.

-Miss, I know you like staying up even after midnight when you think I'm asleep…

Sophia yelped alarmed.

-…But lately, you've been staying up later than usual. What is it that you've been doing? – The maid continued.

She got even more nervous than before.

-Ah, nothing special!

-Is that so? – Andrea's probing eyes were all over her.

-Of course! It's not like there is anything else I'd do!

Just after Sophia pulled out that sentence, Andrea picked up the bed sheets from the floor and a book that was originally under the pillows was disclosed.

Before she could kick it under the bed, Andrea picked it up.

The book's title was 'Learning Japanese: Level 2'.

_So this was it._ – Andrea concluded before turning to Sophia.

Sophia's eyes looked nervous.

-Lady Sophia, why have you been learning Japanese? – She didn't ask harshly.

Sophia's head tilted down and gave no reply.

Andrea glanced at the book again.

-If you want to learn a language, Miss, then just do it during the day. – She said.

Sophia's eyes widened and her head turned to look at Andrea's calm face.

-But it's Japanese and I'm…

-It's just a language, what is wrong with that? – She interrupted her.

Sophia sighed and smiled at her before hugging Andrea.

-Thank you, Andrea. – She said. – You're the best.

-You're welcome, Miss. I know I am. Now, hurry up; you're going to be late to class.

She nodded and immediately headed to the bathroom and washed her face, teeth and brushed her hair. Oh, this time she cut even shorter the time to groom and was out of the bathroom 1.5 minutes later.

Sophia glanced at her alarm clock on her bedside table and panicked. She only had 4 minutes to get to the classroom, which was on a different and distant building.

She grabbed a couple of books and placed the toast and held it with her teeth. She opened the door and hurriedly said 'Bye' to Andrea, with the toast still on her mouth, before leaving.

Andrea sighed again.

-Seriously, this girl!

She smiled for herself. Although she was one of a kind, to her, that girl was her family and she was like family to her. After all, they had been together ever since she moved at that place to study at Ashford Middle School when she was 13. Not to mention it had been just the two of them for 4 years now.

She then stuck her hand on one of her apron's pockets and took out a white envelope with the Britannian royal seal on it.

_She was so happy, I didn't have the guts to give this to her._

She simply placed it on her desk and proceeded to do the chores of the day.

Sophia raced through campus like a gust of wind. It was a mystery how she got that much energy when her physical condition was not really that outstanding. She could only muster that much speed when hurrying to class, as usual. Even more interestingly, she had a knack to get to the classroom less than 30 seconds before the class began.

-Yes! I made it! – She raised both her arms in glory.

-As usual. – Joked a blond guy with blue eyes and a medium height of 1.71 meters.

A bespectacled brown-haired girl that sat next to him laughed at his joke.

-However, today the teacher is absent. – The same guy continued. – So it will take the substitute a while to get here. – He laughed.

Sophia's forehead had a highlighted vein in it. She blushed quietly as she approached them and sat at the penultimate seat of the classroom's row by the window, just behind the blond guy.

-I've told you not to laugh at his jokes, Mary. – Sophia stated. - You're only encouraging him to say yet more jokes that aren't even funny.

-Hey, what was that? My jokes _are _funny and you know it, Sophia! – He defended before turning to the bespectacled girl. – Isn't that right, Mary?

-Y-Yes. Of course they're funny, Michael.

He sighed.

-I've told you a million times you can just call me Mike, Mary Louise Angela Stanford.

-S-Sorry! – She apologized blushing.

-Leave her alone, Mike! – A girl with green eyes and red hair defended while walking closer to them. – You know she feels embarrassed about her full name!

The red-haired sat behind Sophia and sighed heavily.

-I was just kidding. – Mike replied. – Besides, I don't get what is there to be embarrassed about.

Sophia hit his head after noticing Mary's increasing blush.

-Ouch! What was that, for, Sophia?

-Learn to shut up when you have to. – Sophia replied calmly.

-Yeah, you really speak too much, idiot. – The red-haired agreed, calmly, too.

-Ah… - Mary stuttered and got everyone's attention. – Ah… - She got nervous. - Alice, it's not like you to get here late. – She tried to change the subject.

-Yeah, it's a miracle Sophia got here before you. – He said before being conked in the head again, twice.

-I forgot to set my alarm. Leave me alone. – Alice replied mad.

-And I thought it had only happened to me. – A guy with light brown hair and gray eyes joined.

Everyone turned to look at him as he sat right behind Mary, next to Sophia. He was smiling as usual.

-You forgot to set your alarm too, Tom? – Mary asked.

-Well, not quite. Actually, my roommate turned it off by accident and didn't set it back.

-I don't know what to think of today. – Mike started. – _Two_ people got here _after _Sophia. Just what is the world turning into?

He got conked in the head three more times. Alice hit him with one fist and Sophia with both of hers.

Mike's head crashed against his desk.

-Ah… - He muttered. – Sophia's I can take, but Alice's punches hurt…

-Stop whining like a girl, Michael. – Alice looked away.

-Ah, President! Alice is molesting me! – He cried.

-Who are you calling a molester? – Alice shouted at him before knocking him out.

Everyone got quiet. Mad Alice was scary.

-Wow, he was knocked out. – Tom was the only one that didn't seem to be scared of Alice. – As expected of the captain of the female rugby team. – He stated calmly.

Sophia shook her head to regain speech.

-Anyhow, is the president actually in the classroom? – She wondered.

Everyone stared at each other in confusion for a while before they detected some movement on the floor of the wall right behind the classroom's rows, more specifically, behind Alice.

They all headed their eyes there and the movement occurred again. Most shrieked, except Tom and Sophia, the latter simply sighed. They both stood up and recognized the body's form. Sophia showed wide eyes and Tom was the same as before.

-The school's President is sleeping on the floor, against the wall. – Tom spoke calmly.

While he was unaffected, Mike was still out, Mary had a drop at the back of her head, Sophia stared at him like the weirdo he was and Alice's vein on her forehead was more throbbing.

-This guy… - She hissed even angrier. – I cannot believe he sleeps anywhere! He doesn't even show the decency of sleeping _on_ his desk? Do something, Sophia!

-Don't look at me as if it were my fault, Alice. I'm just the Vice-president. – Sophia looked away with a drop at the side of her forehead.

Alice stood up and shook the sleeping black-haired until he woke up drowning in fear.

Everyone stared as Alice shook him more and yelled at him telling him he was embarrassing…

-That's our President, always napping. – Tom smiled.

_And I thought Andrea was rough…_ - Sophia thought.

-Come to think of it, do any of you know what color are the president's eyes? Not only does he always sleep, his bangs cover his eyes too. – Tom mused.

_He has a point there…_ - Everyone agreed in thought.

-Sorry for the delay! – A cheerful voice everyone knew well heard.

Sophia turned to the classroom's entrance and saw the Superintendent. That day, she wore a beige suit with a mini skirt shorter than the uniform's, a red blouse underneath, red high heels and a jewelry game of pearls. It wasn't rare to see her around often. She was like another student, always socializing with everyone.

-Ah, the Student Council at the back, please take your places. – She smiled before noticing how Alice was holding the President's body. – Ah, was the President sleeping again, Alice? – She understood smiling. – Very well, good job in waking him up. – She then looked at the president. – Now, President, please come here to the front to give today's announcements.

-Yes, Superintendent Ashford! – He saluted militia-style.

A second later, he was already at the front reading.

_Where did he get that energy from when he was just asleep?_ – So everyone wondered.

-Seriously, how did Mark James become the school's President? – Alice thought out loud annoyed.

Once the announcements to which no one paid attention were over, Milly Ashford took a piece of chalk and wrote 'Fall Festival' on the board.

She then turned to the students at the right back corner.

-Now, I request the Student Council comes forth and announces whatever you guys have planned so far for the Fall Festival that will take place in 3 weeks.

President Mark James remained in the front. Next to him stood Vice-president Sophia White, then Secretary Thomas Danes, Main Treasurer Alice Harrington, following Second Treasurer Mary Louise Angela Stanford and finally Reporter Michael Warren.

-Huh? Isn't the Main Student Administrator missing? – Milly noted.

-Jack Holmes has been on sick absence since last Friday. – President announced.

-So I see… - Milly expressed pensive.

-Because this class got the highest scores in last month's exams, this class will be rewarded. – President started. – We will take into account your opinion as to which of the school groups' theme propositions you prefer for the Fall Festival to decide which one to work with.

-Do take into account that budget among other factors might not allow your choice to be the definite event. – Alice reminded and scared the class.

Class was almost over when the council finally finished the decision process of their class. Terminally, it was decided the theme would be 'Masquerade'. Everyone would be able to wear different masks and the surroundings would be given an air fit of a masquerade ball.

The rest of the classes went by.

The Student Council gathered to discuss the Fall Festival.

The room was old. It hadn't been changed in appearance in years, so said the Superintendent.

-How are you guys doing? – Superintendent Ashford asked as she walked into the room.

-It will be possible to administer a budget for the ''Masquerade' theme. – Alice informed.

-What about the decorating? Can you guys think of ideas? – She asked smiling.

-Mary has great taste and she's always able to pull themes out. So we're leaving it to her. – Mike reported, oblivious to the fact that he made Mary blush.

-How will you get the materials?

-Leave it to me. – Tom said, still smiling. – I never fail to find good things.

-Alice, did you give Tom and Mary a fair budget? – She asked.

-Yeah, it was a pain, but I divided it so there was enough for that and the other aspects.

-You're very efficient. – Superintendent praised. – Ah, I remember when I was President. I didn't care about the budget at all. – She laughed.

-Well, the school is no longer the same, Superintendent. – Alice said. – I heard this place was filled with nobles, but ever since nobility went scarce, there haven't been as many here.

-The nobility is growing again, though. – Tom added.

-Oh, by the way, Mary, will you be able to pull all of that off in just 3 weeks? – Superintendent asked her.

Mary flushed.

-Well…

-I will help her in the planning. – Sophia spoke quietly and serious.

Milly Ashford stared at the vice-president. She smiled.

-I'm pretty sure Mary can use your help, Sophie.

-But, Sophia, will you be able to? You've never taken part in decorating before. – Mike intercepted. - Or is it that you have ideas?

-I have many ideas… - Sophia stated solemn.

-Very well, then. – Superintended clapped her hands. – That was pretty much all I was concerned in listening. I trust you guys, so I'll leave the rest to you.

Then a man in a uniform with a motorcycle helmet on came in. He held a Pizza Hut box with him.

Sophia's seriousness vanished. She immediately grabbed a piece of stuffed crust pizza and ate it gleefully.

Everyone smiled. They knew she loved pizza more than anyone there.

Milly looked at them all eating and discussing. It felt nostalgic.

When the Council's meeting ended, it was decided it would be possible to use the 'Masquerade' theme.

She returned to her room at the dorms afterwards. Her only purpose there was to pick up her laptop and earphones.

Before heading out, she took notice of the envelope on top of her desk. She frowned and clenched her fists. She dreaded the seal it had on it. Had Andrea left there?

She placed down her laptop and reluctantly opened it. Her presence was requested for that very night. She gritted her teeth and her hands fought the urge to tear that paper into pieces.

After sighing and standing there in deep thought for some minutes, she remembered something and hastily revised the letter. She was going to be picked up at 6. Her watch marked 5:30. This was bad; she had yet another thing to take care of.

She crumpled the letter, turning it into a paper ball, and threw it into her wastebasket furiously. She hurried to take the laptop and earphones and headed to the dorms' rooftop.

As usual, the roof was an isolated place she had adopted as her working place. She had an appointment and was waiting for a call.

_This guy better not call until five to six!_

While waiting, she set the computer and opened up a special program created just for her to use. The computer had a webcam that was now on.

At 5:49, the call arrived. She answered with her earphones on. By then, she had everything set.

-H-Hello? – A nervous male voice asked on the other side of the line.

-Let's not waste time with greetings. – She smirked. – Connect me.

-Y-Yes…

Suddenly, at the other side of her screen appeared a chess board. The white pieces were in front of the black ones, meaning she was going to use the white ones. At the other side of the board sat a skeptical old man with a cigar on his mouth.

-A girl? – He asked before snorting and burst out laughing. – This is entertaining!

-I see. – Sophia started after analyzing the board, paying no mind to the other man. – You lost the Queen.

-Y-Yes… - The same voice replied on the phone.

-Is that girl serious? – The laughing man continued. – Please! This is a clear victory! You won't fix this guy's stupidity in your life, kid!

-Move forth the King. – She commanded.

-What? – The nervous man asked; the men besides him and his opponent seemed dumbfounded at her words too.

-Move the King. – She commanded again with no hesitation.

The opponent laughed again; it was starting to get annoying, but she was used to it already.

-This girl does not know what she's doing here!

-But… - The man who hired her replied. – I'm going to lose the King if I move it! Do you know how much money I bet here? – He begged.

-Well, do you want my help or not, customer? – Sophia answered unhesitant.

-But…

-I know what I'm doing here; you're the one that made the situation like this, remember? I'm merely giving my help. That is the reason you hired me. Move the King, customer.

After hesitating, the man did what she told him and his opponent attacked his King.

He was about to cry and Sophia grinned.

-I'll remind you he doesn't have a King either. – Sophia said.

After setting the board the way she wanted it to be, in just a matter of four minutes, the tables had been turned completely.

-This is ridiculous! Something isn't right here! – The opponent shouted mad.

-I-I can't believe it! I'm winning! – The customer exclaimed.

-Make your move already; I don't have all day. – Sophia told the opponent.

Her opponent, desperate, moved a piece. Sophia grinned again.

-Got you. – She said. – Move the Rook.

Everyone in the dark room gasped at her words.

Her opponent was sweating as he realized what that girl he considered no threat before had been planning all along.

Her client nervously moved it.

-Ch-Checkmate. – He whispered astonished.

-NO! I will not accept this!

The other man suddenly pulled a gun, but the men besides her client went after him.

In the middle of the ruckus, the customer was still in shock.

-Thank you! Oh, thank you! – He exclaimed. – You really are the genius I heard about! I'm so glad I called you!

-Don't thank me. Just transfer the money into the account. Remember, I charge per minute; it's been six. – Sophia ended and cut the connection.

She hurriedly checked her watch. It read 5:55 pm.

Well, this customer wasn't that bad. Fortunately, she could fix it in minutes, as usual. Though she tried to foresee occasions like the time she needed a whole quarter of an hour to solve some customer's issue. That customer seriously didn't know what chess was. She made sure to charge him extra that time.

She ran to place her laptop back at her room before running to the front gate.

A limousine was waiting for her.

-Sophie! – Greeted the cheerful Milly Ashford.

-Superintendent… – Sophia looked surprised to see her there.

-Andrea told me about you needing an exception to the curfew this night of the month. I came here to thank you for helping Mary. – She smiled.

Sophia blushed and looked away.

-It's nothing. You know I am fit to help her because of experience.

-You are a strong girl, Sophie. – Milly placed her hand on Sophia's shoulder.

Sophia looked straight at her eyes, somewhat confused.

-You know? – Superintendent continued. – You have gorgeous eyes; they remind me dearly of one my former friends.

-You're telling me someone else has my rare eye color? – Sophia asked intrigued; all her life, it had been remarked that she had unusual eyes.

-Yes, there was someone. – Her gaze turned sad, out of the blue. – I never really understood what was going on in his mind and he just let everyone think ill of his attitude without bothering to defend himself, because, you know, he was actually a hero…

Sophia frowned. Not even her intellect could figure out what she was saying, and Milly noticed.

-Sorry. I'm entertaining you here. – Milly smiled again. – I don't want you to be late because of me.

Sophia nodded but inwardly disagreed; she wanted to delay that trip as much as possible…

-Good evening, Lady Sophia. – A formal driver opened the vehicle's door for her with his eyes hidden behind his hat; this was the fourth time in a row she saw the same driver.

She got inside.

In twenty minutes, they arrived to the Pendragon Palace. She entered through a side entrance instead of the main one, which was filled with limousines that obstructed passage.

She passed through a maze of hallways decorated with portraits of people she didn't care about and red and blue carpets. Music reverberated all over the palace.

Finally, she reached a set of stairs and went up to the third story. She then turned left, took the right side of the hallway and opened the door to the room between the fifth and sixth windows on the opposite wall.

The white doors lead to a majestic room four times the size of her dorm at school. The walls were painted white. A beige carpet covered most of the floor. A chandelier with expensive crystals and diamonds hang from the center of the ceiling. At the doors' left was low vanity table of dark wood with a chair that was now too small for her. The left wall had two big windows with crimson red curtains at their sides. Against the back wall was a King size bed, thrice as big as the one she had slept on last night. It had four posts around it, with red transparent drapes hanging from the top and the sheets were made of purple silk. At each side of the bed were nightstands with light blue lamps on top of them. At the right wall was another set of wooden doors with a big closet behind them. At the right side of the doors, at the corner, was a set of dressing room mirrors with gold margins and gemstones incrusted at its borders.

She opened the doors, looking for something hanged in there. She found a royal blue dress hanging in there and proceeded to take off her uniform, threw it on top of the bed, and put the dress on.

She looked at herself in the mirrors. The ballroom dress she wore was strapless, had beading details at the waist line and below the bust, was tight until it reached right below her hips and became very full at the bottom, reaching all the way to the floor.

She opened a compartment in the middle of the closet to look for the shoes. She growled inwardly when she only found one pair as her only option. They were matching blue heels, 3 inches high, pointy and with straps around the ankles.

She knew how to wear high heels but these events lasted a long while. Her feet were going to ache like hell the next day. She considered using her black flat school shoes since the dress covered them but she figured someone would notice due to the difference in height and posture. She sighed and sat on the bed to put them on.

She then noticed that there was something shiny in the center of the bed. There were a white gold tiara with incrusted sapphires and a jewelry set that matched it. Tiaras were uncomfortable; she didn't want to wear it. To keep them in place, one had to keep her head stable and not move. Nonetheless, if she didn't wear what was placed for her, she was gonna have to listen to complaints later. She just wanted to save that so she could return to the dorms as soon as the event was over.

She took the golden hair brush on the vanity table and got its fine teeth through her green hair, which reached only to her shoulders. On the vanity table, there was a perfume bottle from some foreign area and a lipstick. She sprayed some of the perfume on the air and coughed after sniffing it. Her nose wrinkled. Never mind the tiara; she didn't want to smell like that.

She only placed a bit on her fingertips and applied it at three points in her neck so it wasn't so penetrating.

She checked out the lipstick's color; it was a natural pinkish tone. It would've been the last straw if it had matched the dress's royal blue, though she admitted inwardly she would've worn it if she got to see the faces of the nobles in shock. She suppressed her giggling and placed the sparkling tiara on top of her head. She put on the flashy necklace around her neck. She honestly believed it was a piece of 'extravagant bling'. Matching the necklace and tiara was a bracelet she wore on her right wrist. She was thankful there were no matching earrings or else she would've felt like a lighthouse.

She looked at her reflection in the mirrors again. She didn't feel like herself. She never did every time she was summoned, which was more frequent than she would've preferred it to be.

She checked out her watch. It had already been fifteen minutes.

She left the room and was about to turn into the hallway that would lead her to the stairs, but she couldn't help glancing at the room right next to hers.

Her eyes filled with sad memories.

-Brother… – She whispered softly.

She placed her hand softly on the doors. She then tried to enter but they were locked.

She grinned as she went back to her room and took a key from her uniform's pocket. She hadn't used that key in a while but she held on to it because she considered it useful in occasions like this one.

That key could open any room in the entire palace. She opened the room's doors. The room inside was dark. She searched for the light switch and found it on the right side of the door.

It was also very richly decorated, but its atmosphere felt desolated. The room hadn't been occupied in six years. The bed and furniture were similar to hers, but they were in darker colors and more suiting for a boy than for a girl.

Sophia sauntered around the room in memories of someone she could never stop missing.

_Samuel, why did you have to leave? Why did you leave me alone? I couldn't understand the last words you told me…_

She suddenly came across a nightstand next to the navy blue bed. She smiled at the memory it brought her.

X Flashback X

A couple of children were playing in that very room. The girl was 10 and the boy was 11. She had green hair and violet eyes. He had black hair and he had beautiful green eyes with golden sparkles that never died. They both wore fine clothes and had innocent faces.

-Brother, what is it that you wanted to show me? – The girl asked him.

-Be patient, Yuki. – He told her.

-Why do you call me 'Yuki', brother? Isn't my name Sophia? – She asked pensive.

-I don't know. I simply do. It feels as if it's been forever and I've always called you 'Yuki'.

-You're weird, brother.

-You want me to show you or not?

-I do.

-Close your eyes. – He urged smirking.

She did as he told her. She heard the sound of a drawer being slid open.

-You can open them now. – He instructed.

She opened her eyes and she confirmed a drawer had been opened. The drawer was at the bottom of his nightstand. It was filled with some toys and else she hadn't seen in a while.

-Didn't we use to have toys that looked just like those? – She asked fascinated.

-They _are_ the same toys, Yuki. – He smiled.

She awed in admiration of everything they found there.

-Why did you keep them? We have been told we cannot play with the same toys twice. – She then seemed sad. – No matter how much I like a doll or a ball, the servants never let me play with them again. That is why I don't want to like anything.

-I know. It seems unfair, right, Yuki? That is why I kept them here in secret. These are all toys we played with together. – He then looked around as if confirming they were alone. – There are no servants here right now. We can play with them as much as we want.

-But what if they find them. Will they not take them away?

-That is why I picked this drawer to put them away. See our keys? – He asked as he held his. – Only our keys can open it.

Her eyes shone with glee.

-This will be like our chest, where we will keep our treasures without anyone taking them from us.

-Brother, you are so smart! – She praised smiling innocently.

-You're smart yourself, Yuki. – He blushed happy.

Together, they played for a while. When they heard footfalls heading to the room, they hurriedly put everything inside the drawer and locked it. That is what they would do until he left at the age of 13 to Ashford Middle School. Sophia cried that day, feeling lonely. She aimed to enter Ashford Middle School when she were old enough to rejoin with him, so she recalled.

X Flashback X

_Brother… I miss you so much…_

Courage replaced her sad face when she thought of doing something she hadn't dared to do in 4 years. She used her key to open the drawer. She grinned. Everything was there. Toys, drawings, stuff they got from outside and else. She could hardly believe they had been able to fool the servants all those years.

She then saw something she didn't recognize. She grabbed it with curiosity. It was a chain with rectangular white gold plaque.

Although she didn't recognize it, part of her felt like holding onto it.

_I wonder how is it that I missed it last time though…_ - Her eyes grew open and a gasp parted from her lips after that thought made her realize something. – _Is this the evidence he meant in the letter?_

She examined the plaque more closely and noted it had an engraving she couldn't read. That was strange and kind of unfair. She knew eleven languages and she still wasn't able to read it.

She frowned in disappointment. _I'll look more into this later…_

Suddenly, she came back to the present as a specific tune was playing faintly in the background. That was the song in which she was supposed to appear next to her relatives into the event. She was late.

She hastily closed the drawer and hid the plaque to keep it. She remembered to close the doors after getting out and ran as fast as she could with her high-heeled shoes. She went down the stairs and jogged all the way to a side entrance to the ball room. There was a platform in which others were already standing and sitting at their respective seats.

Before going in there, she looked at herself in random mirror's reflection and put on her 'mask'.

She composed her expression into a serious face and calmly walked into the platform. Nonchalantly, she sat on her red seat, which, unfortunately, was almost at the middle. She couldn't help attracting attention for her late entrance but she paid no mind to it. Her outfit guaranteed she would be receiving attention whether she wanted to or not.

At the very center was the King of Britannia. He then was 46 years old, no longer young. His face had aged but not really as much as one would expect. He could easily pretend to be ten years younger. As a matter of fact, many swore that, after he turned 36, he stopped aging. An ongoing joke used to be told about the King finding the fountain of youth.

Sitting on the platform, at the side Schneizel el Britannia were many other numerous figures that occupied a distinguished place within nobility. And right next to him was the young lady in the royal blue dress.

-You are late, Sophia. – He commented without a mad expression.

-My apologies, Your Majesty. – Sophia replied with her cold demeanor.

-You're forgiven. You look beautiful. Royal blue suits you and highlights your lovely midnight eyes; I will tell you I find those eyes very unique.

-Thank you for the compliments.

-No need to act so formal when speaking privately, Sophia. After all, you are part of my family. – He smiled.

-Yes, Uncle Schneizel. – She replied, hiding the fact that she did not like his smile; she never liked it.

-How has school been for you?

-It has been good.

-I heard you won a seat at the Student Council elections. What seat do you occupy?

-Vice-president.

-Congratulations, niece.

-Thank you, Uncle Schneizel. _Although that was months ago… And it's exactly the same seat I occupied last year, too. I've actually been occupying it since I started high school._

-Oh, forgive me. I must be boring you with my small talk.

-Not at all.

-Why don't you go and dance a piece or two? There are many young men that have requested to dance a piece with you tonight and this is a dance after all. – He offered her a smile.

-I might dance, but I don't feel like dancing at this very moment. Perhaps later in the evening.

-Of course.

After half an hour, the members at the platform joined the party below. Sophia greeted nobles for almost an hour. She then had to talk with some other noble girls just for appearances. She didn't like talking to nobles, especially noble girls. They talked of nothing other than frivolous matters such as clothes, jewels and gossip she couldn't even understand about some guy being hot and talking ill of girls that thought they looked good. She would simply give a small grin and remain quiet, nodding every now and then.

Moreover, she personally disagreed with the decisions her uncle made. She didn't feel pride, but shame, about belonging to Britannian nobility. She thought all of the people around her were retards for acting so idly at these kind of events when the rest of the world was suffering because of the war the King caused. Why didn't anyone oppose him? How could they let this happen again, to let History repeat?

She let go of those thoughts after counting to one hundred. She had no voice in those matters; stressing herself over that served no purpose. She was a high school student and that was all she should care about, right?

The ball was interrupted by a banquet. She stood next to the King again. She quietly ate as she heard him talk about political matters that really didn't concern her. Although she had a high noble status, her opinion did not matter so she preferred not to know about them.

The food was exquisite but not to her liking. Rather than fancy beef and flawless soup, she felt like eating pizza. She _loved_ pizza.

Once dinner was over, the dancing was resumed. She strolled a bit outside the ball, just looking at the stars from one of the balconies that had a magnificent view to the royal gardens. She thought that most of the things in that gargantuan palace were extravagant and expensive. If anything, she liked the simplicity of the gardens' roses.

Suddenly, a somewhat familiar sensation overrode her. It felt as if a couple of powerful eyes were over her. This was the sixth time she felt this way. It had happened over the last six parties she had come to the palace for. The first time was about half a year ago; there was a party like this in which her attendance was asked once every month. She just shrugged the feeling off.

She was in the middle of her thinking that her uncle called her.

-Sophia.

She gasped in surprise.

-Forgive me, I didn't mean to scare you.

-It's nothing, Your Majesty.

-The young men I talked to you about earlier are very eager to dance with you. Would you be kind enough to dance with them at once so they can stop feeling so anxious? – He smiled. – I cannot blame them, though. You are a beautiful young lady and you look ravishing tonight. I hope this doesn't sound too inappropriate, but if I were your age, I know I would feel like them.

-I am flattered you think so highly of me. I don't really deserve those compliments. _Though I know you did not mean a word you just said._ Very well, I can dance with them now.

-Thank you, niece.

_Liar._

She wore a fake smile for the next couple of hours after dancing with ten different noble guys. 'Your Highness, you look breathtaking tonight', 'Your Highness, I am flattered you have chosen me as your dance partner', 'You are a naturally graceful dancer', 'Can I tell you a secret? There were another twenty girls that asked me to a dance tonight, but I rejected them because I wanted to dance with you only', 'Your eyes are as captivating as the night sky', 'You know? I may not have a rank as high as yours, but I do come from a noble family. Do you want to hear more about it?', 'I am to inherit my family's fortune', 'It's funny, but I feel it was our destiny to meet tonight and dance', 'I hope you will give me the honor of dancing with me at the next ball, Princess Sophia'… God, she wanted to throw up from all the times she heard each of those lines that night alone.

'Why, you don't say! Is it because I'm wearing a _strapless _and_ tight_ dress?', 'I didn't. You're the one who begged the King that I danced with you and he insisted on me doing this; I don't even want to dance with the shoes I'm wearing. High-heels are painful to use even when you're just standing, you know?', 'I could swear I just stepped on your foot but if you say I'm a natural dancer, then I must be', 'Oh, what an astonishing secret! I'm surprised you even trusted me enough to tell me. Though, you know? I just talked with the girls and I'm pretty sure there are less than fifteen there', 'Wow, I wonder where you got that poetic reference from? I doubt it has anything to do with the fact that it's night right now and my eyes are the same color, right?', 'Yeah, I figured as much since you're at this party. Hell no, I'm not interested in your family's rich and corrupt History. I had enough with the History lessons I was forced to learn as a kid about my own family', 'Well, good for you! Hurry, go tell someone who cares!', 'It's funny, because I don't. In fact, you just made that out, didn't you, cheeky boy?', 'I hope there's a fire at this room so that I never have to come to another one of this torturous dances again! By the way, thank you so very much for reminding me I'm the Princess and hence I'm sentenced to a lifetime of this.' She wanted to at least say one of those but she knew she couldn't and bitterly knew she could not face the consequences of such actions.

She had trouble containing her relief when the dance was over. It was past midnight already. She was exhausted and she swore her feet were bleeding.

-Did you have fun tonight, Sophia? – Her uncle asked her.

-It was very entertaining, Uncle. _Are you seriously asking me that?_

-I'm glad you did. – He smiled for her again.

That smile could never be true in her eyes. Not even when she was a kid that counted with the gift of innocence did she buy that his smile was authentic.

She just gave him her own fake smile in response.

-It's a pity your brother is no longer here with us. – He commented while looking somewhere else, using the sky as a shield.

Her lips' fragile fake smile immediately broke at the mention of her brother.

-It is. – She replied; her voice sounded a bit husky and forced, though.

-Although he has pretty much betrayed me, I am honest when I tell you I hope he's doing well.

_YOU LIAR! I hate you! How dare you mention him? You didn't even let me say goodbye to him and now you bring him up? You didn't listen to what he had to say either! You have no right claiming he has betrayed you! I don't even get why some people actually like you! I refuse to believe what you have made everyone else think of Samuel! He must have had a good reason for his actions; something that explains things! He was trying to tell me something. I felt it was important and he was trying so hard… And you just didn't let me listen to him either! He was a great person, a way better man than you despite being younger! I hate you…_

She simply nodded to his statement. She clenched her fists discreetly and looked at the floor for a few seconds, trying to calm down.

-Because, you know, now that Samuel is gone, you are my closest relative, niece. You're like a daughter to me.

_YOU DAMN LIAR! Don't! Don't remind me we're related! I refuse to believe that. I know my parents died when I was a baby and I know nothing of them, but they must've been way better than you! Samuel was better than you! I'd rather swallow fire before calling myself your daughter! The mere thought disgusts me!_

-Wow, Uncle. – She was fighting with all her might to remain cool. – You don't have to say such words to me. I know we are family; I really do.

He smiled and lifted her face by the chin.

-Oh, you have such a pure heart, my niece. To think my words have moved you to the point of getting your eyes watery. I'm touched and blessed to have you as my niece.

Sophia was surprised. She was actually crying from the memory of her brother. Fortunately, her eyes were just watery. She wiped her tears with her forearm.

-Oh, I was about to give you a handkerchief. I know you are moved, Sophia, but don't forget that is not very lady-like.

-Of course. I apologize for forgetting that. – She spoke softly.

-It breaks my heart, but I must return to my duties. Governing is not an easy task, Princess. I will see you at the next month's dance. Please be good, my niece.

He then kissed her forehead before leaving.

She walked to the stairs and then took off her shoes before going up. Her feet ached with every step. She almost dragged herself to her room.

She took off the uncomfortable dress and left it in the floor. She took off the expensive jewelry and threw it into the air and landed all over the room.

She hated this. She hated that man. She would never forgive him for separating her from her brother.

X Flashback X

-SNOW! – A 14-year-old boy with black hair, rare green eyes and casual clothing bellowed at the Pendragon Palace.

He was being held back by armed royal guards.

-Samuel vi Britannia, you do not scream like that in this palace! – King Schneizel reprehended harshly. – You are a Prince, so behave as such! This is neither the place nor time for this. The monthly ball will take place in two hours. I suggest you fix that attitude of yours and go get dressed for the event.

-Bullshit! – He shouted back.

The present servants gasped as did the 13-year-old Princess.

_Samuel, what are you doing?_ – The young teenager thought scared as she stared at her brother who was fighting the guards just to reach her.

-Let me go! – He yelled.

Schneizel walked calmly towards him and then punched his face, leaving everyone present shell-shocked.

Sophia's violet eyes contracted it as she heard the sickening sound of her uncle's fist on her brother's face.

Blood trickled down his nose, yet his eyes were not backing off.

-Samuel! – Sophia exclaimed as she ran towards him.

However, before she could reach him, Schneizel beckoned for the guards to hold her. She fought hard to break free of their hold but she couldn't.

-Let me go! – She cried as her arm tried to reach her brother's.

Just when their hands were centimeters away from one another, an electrical current ran through her brother's body with a weapon held against his neck.

He screamed and was knocked out.

She was speechless as she saw her brother lying on the ground. All of her strength was gradually draining along with his consciousness; the guards were no longer fighting to keep her still. She fell to her knees and stared at him with tearful eyes.

-S-Snow… - He whispered softly.

-Snow? – She mouthed silently; she didn't understand why he was calling her 'Snow', but she was certain he meant her. – Yes? – She whispered.

-This is a lie. It has all been a lie. Our past, our lives, our par…Ah! – He screamed when their Uncle stomped on his back.

-Uncle, please don't! – Sophia begged.

-Shut up! – He shouted and turned to her.

For the first time, she felt honesty coming from him. He was being true to his feelings when he gave her that disdainful look that showed he anything but loved her. All there was to those clear blue eyes was pure hatred.

Before that day, she thought he just didn't love them but still, possibly, cared about them. That day, her innocent belief was proved wrong. The clear truth was that he hated both her and her brother.

He stomped on her brother with a frightening face, worthy of a monster.

Samuel could no longer talk but his eyes persisted stubbornly on looking at his crying sister. She knew he was trying with all he had to tell her something. But what?

-Take him away. I shall punish him later. – He ordered the guards.

-Brother! – Sophia yelled and suddenly stood up, but her uncle caught her and literally threw her to the guards. – No! Brother! – She was shedding tears.

-Make sure these two do not talk to each other. – Schneizel ordered.

Sophia sobbed and stared at her uncle, pleading him with her soul to let her see her brother.

-Don't look at me like that; it's bothersome. – He commanded her.

Her eyes widened in shock. She was the one who felt betrayed.

-I told you not to look at me like that! – He yelled at her.

She shuddered and looked away in fear.

Schneizel sighed and brought his hand to his forehead, as if he had gotten a headache because of them.

-Maybe it would be best if you both took time to think on what you've done. – He said. – My nephew shall remain locked up in his room. Take my niece to school.

-Yes, Your Majesty. – The guards replied as they took her away from her brother.

She cried on her way there and was escorted all the way to her dorm room.

-Oh my goodness! Lady Sophia, what's wrong? – Andrea asked her as she saw her face with dried tears.

Sophia didn't speak. She instead ran to lock herself on her room.

An hour later, she was sitting at the school's entrance. It was the middle of winter, and it was a cold night.

-Sophie! – 32-year-old Milly Ashford exclaimed. – What are you doing outside? You'll catch a cold. I'll take you to your dorm and…

-NO! – She cried and revealed her face, full of tears, which shocked the Superintendent.

-But what happened to you, Sophie?

-My brother… - She sobbed. – My brother was… - She couldn't speak.

Milly didn't force her. She hugged the girl, stroke her back and let her cry on her shoulder.

-It's OK. Everything will be OK.

-It will not… - She said.

-Why are you here, outside?

-My brother might come… I will wait for him. – She insisted.

The Superintendent smiled.

-Very well. I'll wait here with you. – She sat with her.

Sophia blushed and sat next to her. She felt so pathetic for crying like a little girl, but she couldn't help it. They waited for several hours with the cold breeze blowing. She fell asleep waiting. Her brother did not come that night.

The following late morning, Sophia woke up on her bed. She glanced at the clock. It read 11:43 am. For once, Andrea let her sleep in.

She gritted her teeth and punched her mattress in wrath for not being able to stay and wait for Samuel.

Andrea was out to buy groceries at those hours of the late morning. She was alone.

She didn't want to get up from bed, but her throat was killing her. She wanted a glass of water. It was likely she had caught a cold for waiting outside without even wearing a sweater.

Her whole face froze and stopped breathing when she saw a note on the table. She recognized that handwriting as her brother's.

She hurried and grabbed the note as if her life depended on it and read it.

_Yuki,_

_I'm very sorry I gave you trouble yesterday. I know I have confused you. I'm afraid I won't be able to see you soon. I find it so hard to believe myself I cannot phrase anything in coherent sentences. I promise you I'll be back to give you the details. I could only think of one place to leave the evidence of what you must know. It might not make much sense, but I wouldn't do this much damage to you if I wasn't sure it's real. For now, all I can tell you is that you cannot trust our uncle. No matter what he says, don't believe all of it. Act like none of this happened, please. I know it's not easy, but you must. I could never forgive myself if he did anything to you, believing you were siding with me. I must also ask you to immediately burn this letter after you read it. I trust Andrea, but it is possible for our uncle to hire someone to search evidence of me contacting you. Please be strong, Snow._

_I love you,_

_Shiro_

-Shiro? – She scowled.

Why was it that he was suddenly changing their names?

As expected, the next time she saw their uncle, he acted as if nothing had happened. All servants could tell her was that her brother had escaped from his room and was nowhere to be found.

At the next monthly dance, she got into her brother's room and opened their special drawer, certain he had meant for her to open it and find the cause for his actions. Unfortunately, she didn't find anything other than toys. Her only hope had been that drawer, and nothing was there.

It was devastating for her. _Just which place did you mean then, brother?_

She closed the drawer pained and never opened it again until the present dance.

Was their uncle threatening his life? Why was he running away? What did he want to tell her? Those questions had tormented her ever since.

X End of flashback X

_I will never forgive you, Schneizel…_

Sophia changed into her comfortable uniform. This was the part in which she usually relaxed and felt happy she no longer lived in that room and would not have to return until next month. Months were cruel for being so short and flying away from her reach.

She exited the Pendragon Palace the same way she entered. There was the black limousine waiting for her; they would take her home.

She sighed in relief as she sat in the back of the vehicle and they left the Pendragon Palace. She was minutes away from her cozy bed. It was way smaller than the one in her room at the palace and the sheets were not as refined, but she could never lie and sleep on her huge purple bed; she didn't like that room at all. It reminded her of lonely times, the year she was without her brother, the strict lessons and instructors and the cold servants' greetings.

Strangely enough, she could still feel that mysterious glare over her, even though she had left the palace. It had been about three times already that she felt this way in the limousine as well.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard. It felt as if the entire vehicle was about to flip over. Had she not been wearing the seatbelt, she might've suffered injuries.

While not injured, she felt as if the seatbelt had been thrust into her body and her head had hit hard the window next to her and crashed it partially. She groaned.

-What…? What is going on? – She demanded with a weak and husky voice that was barely audible.

She got no reply.

She gingerly took off the seatbelt, moved forward and knocked on the driver's compartment and still got no reply. Was the driver alright?

She was about to open her door, but it opened from the outside.

A gun was pointed at her forehead by a man wearing a formal suit and sunglasses, despite the darkness of the early morning. Her eyes were wide in shock.

-Step out. – The man in black suit ordered.

She stepped out and her irises contracted in bewilderment. The entire front of the car was destroyed. It had crashed against a huge black van. She tardily walked closer and then saw the driver's forehead was lying against the wheel. He was dead.

There were numerous men that looked exactly like the one threatening her. She had been surrounded and captured.

Among the replicas of the same man, another one differed from the rest. He wore no sunglasses and his suit was white. She recognized him from the party. He was a well-known baron among nobility, Baron John Carlson.

-Baron Carlson? – Sophia questioned.

-Good evening, Princess Sophia. – The man grinned sickly while greeting her. – It's surprising you survived that.

-What is the meaning of this?

-I just cannot afford to give you the luxury of time, Princess.

-I don't understand. – Sophia scowled slightly, trying to remain composed.

-The King is not married and has no children, no siblings, no close relatives other than you, Princess, his niece.

-What does that have to do with anything? – She was inwardly angry about him bringing up her uncle.

-You are the only possible heir to the throne!

Sophia stared at him in disbelief at his reasoning, which she considered highly retarded.

-So what? It's not like he's going to die anytime soon. – Saying that out loud got a bitter taste on her mouth. – It is not likely that he will leave the throne to me, anyways.

-We can never know that, but if I take care of you first, then it is certain you will not inherit the throne!

-Do you really believe you can just kill me and walk away?

-These men you see here belong to the mafia and have several times committed crimes worth of the death sentence in affiliation with terrorists! No one will doubt they did this because they affiliated with terrorists and no one will bother to look into it any further! It will only be seen as a tragic event in which lovely Princess Sophia vi Britannia got unfairly involved. Curse such heartless terrorists that ordered her demise! Everyone will cry at your sure-to-be-magnificent funeral and then everyone will forget it! I will be one step closer to true power! Whoever rules Britannia, rules the world! – His eyes were about to pop out of his face and his expression was that of an insane person. – You will be dead. Chances are your foolish brother is dead, so nothing will stop me!

She gritted her teeth.

-You bastard! – She shouted as she was about to punch him.

He backed off, frightened as the rest of the men pointed their guns at her and impeded her from walking any closer to him. She grimaced.

_It hurts… My body hurts. I cannot run… If I were Mike, I could just run as fast as him. If I were Tom, I could confuse them with my thinking and escape. If I were Alice, I could kick the hell out of these guys and walk the rest of the way… But because I am myself, I cannot do anything. I am not Mike, Tom or Alice…Or Jack… Is this how I'll meet my end? Helpless to the very end? Samuel…! No… This cannot be happening…! Brother! I have to figure out what the engraving on the plaque he left says… I have to see him again… I still haven't defeated Schneizel!_ - She was inwardly desperate as flashbacks of her brother's face were shown in her mind like a slideshow. – _No! I cannot die yet!_

The sound of guns being loaded was heard. She closed her eyes, defenseless. She clenched her teeth and fists, so tightly that her fingernails were about to draw blood from her hands.

Then, out of the blue, the driver's door was opened.

Sophia was not the only taken aback by this. Everyone else turned their heads and felt the same way.

-I-Impossible…! - Baron Carlson exclaimed.

From the car emerged the driver.

Sophia took a few steps back but could not take her eyes off him.

He no longer had his hat on. She could see perfectly his vibrant fire red hair, which was as long as hers. His gaze was directed straight to her. Her deep violet orbs looked at his eyes for the first time. They were a beautiful shade of ocean blue with a trace of silver sparkles. His entire face seemed surreal with such fine features; creamy white skin, favorable bone structure, perfect nose and lips that together formed beauty even men would envy.

_This cannot be… _- Sophia told herself. – _I saw him! He was dead!_

She finally broke free of his mesmerizing face's spell and took a closer look at his overall appearance. His clothes had blood all over them and that blood couldn't be anyone's but his.

He walked closer to her. His manner of walking seemed perfectly fine despite having just been in a car crash. It was a miracle the fact alone that he was alive, but he turned out to be unharmed as well.

The men standing around them were also flabbergasted at that man.

-Who…What are you? – Sophia asked softly.

Without any words, he grabbed her wrist with his bloody hand. She gasped at the contact but before she could do anything, he took off running and dragged her alone.

Baron Carlson shook his head to regain his speech.

-What are you doing? They're escaping! Get them! Kill the princess!

The other men had to regain control of themselves too and proceeded to shoot stray bullets at them.

Sophia screamed in fear and her eyes were watery, but that didn't seem to distract the man that held her wrist tightly.

They turned around a corner and got rid of the bullets as the men pursued them.

-This way! – The man's voice was finally heard.

He led her into a narrow alleyway and that was enough to confuse the mafiosos, who ran everywhere else to search for them.

Sophia wiped her fright tears away with her forearm's sleeve before looking at him.

-They're gone. – He announced before stepping out of the alleyway and dragged her along.

She then shook his loose hold off her wrist and gained his attention. She stared at him, not knowing what she was supposed to feel at the moment.

-Why are you helping me? – She asked him.

He didn't reply.

-What are you…? – She got interrupted when he placed his hand on her lips.

-You want to live. – That wasn't a question; either way, her eyes reflected surprise. – I can help you live. – He told her.

_What is this man saying? _– Sophia gasped in thought.

-You don't want it to end, do you?

Sophia shook her head.

He closed his eyes. Suddenly, her mind was no longer in her body. It was all white light and flashing images everywhere she looked. She and the man had lost all colors.

_What is this? _– She whispered.

-You have a reason to live.

_This man… No… He cannot possibly be the one doing this!_

-If you had the strength, you could live. – His voice sounded distorted but serious. – This is our contract. I will wake up your power and your true past will be unlocked. In exchange, you will grant my wish. If you enter into this contract, you will live as a human, but also as one completely different. - A light appeared in front of her as he spoke. – You will live under different rules, different time and a different life… Along with the power of the King, loneliness beyond what you've experienced will embrace you. Are you prepared?

Then, the memory of Schneizel el Britannia flashed in front of her eyes.

-My dear niece, it is indeed a pity Samuel is not with us anymore. – The face that disgusted her expressed. – Who knows if he is alive now; it's a shame. However, it had to be that way. It was all for the sake of Britannia; it was the best for the entire world!

Sophia's face changed. Wrath burned in her eyes. She growled and her face became determined and did not hesitate.

-Very well! – She exclaimed louder than she ever had before. – I, here and now, accept this contract!

A blinding darkness surrounded them.

A flashback of memories she recalled for the first time in her life came to her. Her whole life literally flashed in her eyes. Her ire unleashed.

When opened her eyes, they were right outside the alleyway in the real life. It felt as if not a second had occurred while their contract took place.

-There they are! – A man's voice exclaimed.

In a matter of seconds, they were again surrounded by the mafia. All of them had their guns threatening to shoot.

Baron Carlson was sweating as he stopped between the men and pointed to them both.

-This is it! – He shouted. – You have no place to run to!

Sophia slowly lifted her gaze and stared at them all. She then, shockingly, grinned.

-What do you find so funny, brat! – The Baron yelled. – Has fear made you lose your mind?

-Baron, - A deathly low voice began. – Have you ever had an experience in which your own attack got reflected right back at you? – She smirked.

-Huh, I have no idea what you're talking about. I guess you must have gone insane. Shoot…

-I'll take that as a 'No'. – She continued; her expression did not change. – Well, let us help you, then.

-What…

-I'll let you have that feeling for the first and last time! – Sophia shouted.

Immediately afterwards, a strange red symbol appeared on left eye. Not even the men's sunglasses saved them from their effect. They suddenly began to shake.

-She's lost her mind! – The Baron yelled. – Wait no more! Kill the Princess now!

-That will not happen! – She shouted and astounded the Baron.

Her eyes shone with a different light for one instant.

-I, Sophia vi Britannia… No, I, Snow Lamperouge, hereby command you all to submit to my orders!

-Kill her! – A mad Baron shouted.

Her death did not happen, and he turned to them.

-What's the matter? I told you to kill her!

Again, the men gave no reply.

-This is what I paid you for! – He shook one of the men. – Kill the Princess of Britannia!

-Shoot him in the limbs. – She spoke up.

The men turned to the Baron with blank stares.

-What? Are you bloody kidding me?

Gunshots fell upon his whole legs and arms.

The Baron fell to the floor and bellowed in agony.

-WHAT IS THIS? – He cried.

The calm girl walked slowly towards his lying body and stomped on his stomach. He moaned in pain.

-So, - She grinned. – Do you like the feeling, Baron?

He was in too much pain to reply.

She then turned to one of the men in black and beckoned for him to get closer. So he did as she removed her foot from him.

-Kill him. – She commanded.

-Yes, Your Highness.

One more gunshot's sound reverberated in the night's wind.

The Baron's expression would remain frightened forever now.

She turned to the men that were still under her control.

-Get rid of the body. Throw him into the river. After that, you will shoot yourselves.

-Yes. – They all replied blankly.

-But before that, I don't suppose any of you drive limousines. Who has the nicest car here?

-I do. – One responded.

-Hand me your keys.

-Of course. – He replied as he gave her a set of keys with a key ring of a bull attached to them.

-Huh, a Lamborghini? That's not half bad. I didn't know the mafia did that well in business. Where are you parked?

He didn't reply. She sighed.

-Tell me where you are parked.

-Two blocks north from here.

-Good. Anyways, you all go do what I commanded you now.

-Yes. – They replied again as they picked up the Baron's corpse and walked away.

Her grin died as she gazed down in sheer wrath. She glanced at the driver, or whatever he was. He had been watching silently all along. She then looked down.

_Shiro…_ - She thought melancholically with tears coming back to her eyes. – _Shiro – Nii, you were right. From that day on, we lived a lie. Almost our whole lives have been a lie, our past was a lie, even our names were lies… Everything was lies. But unlike you, I needed a lot to wake up. Things were worse than I imagined, and I continued living naïve until tonight… But I am finally awake! I have this power at my disposal… That is why…_

She then smiled and looked up. Her face met the gaze of a silent red-haired.

-I will no longer be helpless!

Wow, that was one long introductory chapter! I doubt they will all be this long. I must tell you that I plan to update this story on a sporadic basis since I am giving more focus to my other two stories. However, I can guarantee you I'll finish it. Once I start something, I finish it. If you don't believe me, let me tell you my first story has 83 chapters so far and I am still writing it. ;) Please review to let me know if you like this, though. Comments, reviews and critiques, as long as respectful, about plot, character portraying and grammar are all welcome.


	2. Resolved Decision

Thanks to IDetestTragedy and Crystal of Moonlight for alerting! I am grateful for your thoughtful review, Crystal, thank you!

'(…)' means that an undetermined amount of time has occurred while the character paused his/her thinking and then, whatever follows that, is what the character thinks as he/she resumes pondering. Also, I use the term 'soul' as a synonym of 'being' or 'body'.

STAGE 2

**Resolved Decision**

They exchanged glances for several seconds before she tossed him the Lamborghini keys. He caught them without blinking.

-It's late and I'm tired. – She spoke. - Can you drive me home?

He nodded.

They walked at each other's side the two blocks. It was strange, because, despite everything, they were strangers. They both remained silent the entire way. If nothing was on her mind, she would've believed it awkward, but the truth was the opposite; she had too much to think about.

Seven minutes later, they found the Lamborghini parked at a lonely street. It was a Gallardo black model, 2036 version; definitely not half bad and it could still be considered new.

She sat at the front seat next to him.

-It's a pity. – He spoke with his serious expression. – The car seats are ruined now that I sat in them with bloody clothes.

-You can keep the car. – Sophia spoke uninterested.

-I thought you'd prefer to keep it since you asked for it.

-I didn't do it for that reason. After all, I'm supposed to come from the palace. I cannot get there walking or on a cheap car. I really don't care about it, so you may keep it.

-I don't have anywhere to park it. – He spoke without taking his eyes off the night road.

She turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

-Why do I feel there's more to that statement?

-I did not mean anything else than what I said. – He replied.

-Just park it outside your home or whatever.

-I do not have a home. – He responded in the same tone.

She stared at him. Her expression said 'Are you for real?'

-I knew there was more to that sentence. – She replied. – Where have you been staying lately?

-At the palace. – He answered earnestly.

The princess of Britannia sighed.

-OK, are you going to make me ask for each and every detail of your story or will you just tell me about it?

-I have simply answered your question. I did not insinuate to do more than just answering it.

She sighed again, frustrated and tired.

-OK, let's start from the beginning. What is your name?

-I'm Z.Z.

She stared at him in disbelief.

-Z two? Well, it does make sense. You portray the Code, after all.

He looked at her with the corner of his eyes.

-How do you know about the Code?

She chuckled.

-Oh, so now I'm the one that aroused your curiosity? Well, it's quite a long story. Though, actually, I just learned that myself minutes ago.

-It was part of your past knowledge?

-Not quite my own knowledge. It was passed on to me by my father. – She then changed her look towards him. - By the way, how did you know about me not having my true memories of the first eight years of my life? How did you know I had a sealed Geass?

He felt slightly surprised at her questions.

-Do you not remember that part?

-Which part? – She was intrigued.

-The part in which you had your memories replaced.

Sophia mused some seconds and shook her head.

-I was there. – He continued.

She nodded in understanding.

-So, why are you helping me now, after nine years?

-I told you in our contract.

-Is your wish the same my mother had?

-I do not know what your mother's wish was. – He said.

She grinned.

-I get it. You simply knew that my memories were erased and knew some of my past, but you don't know the whole story.

-That is correct.

-I don't know the whole story either but I think I've understood a good deal of it. Anyways, what is your wish?

-That, I cannot tell you this instant. – He said gravely.

She laughed.

-I wonder what you find so funny.

-You said the very same thing my mother said about her wish.

-The reason I cannot tell you this instant is because you need to see some things to understand what my wish is.

-What kind of things?

-Facts and events.

-Sounds like it will take a while. – She commented.

-It will, but, if you do what you decided when you accepted our contract, then the day will come in which you will see what I mean.

_What I decided to do?_

Out of the blue, a rock tune was heard coming from her pocket.

She took her cell phone out. The caller ID read 'Jack'.

She bit her lip and glanced at the car's clock. It was 2:20 am.

With all of the events going on, she completely forgot she was going to meet him over an hour ago.

She honestly had no idea what to tell him; though, obviously, it would be anything but the truth.

She just let the ring tone end without answering it.

She turned the phone off, knowing it was likely he would call again.

-We're here. – Z.Z. stopped the car at Ashford Academy's front gate.

-Where will you go?

-I'll park the car somewhere. – He replied.

-And after that? – She grew impatient.

-I'll sleep.

She sighed and gave up about asking for his location. Her head hurt as it was still processing everything.

-Fine. I guess I'll be seeing you. – She said while getting out of the vehicle.

-You will, Sophia.

-Call me 'Snow'. – She clarified while closing the car's door.

He nodded and parted with the car into the deep obscurity of early morning.

Superintendent Ashford knew she had to stay out until late every monthly dance and she always told maintenance and security to leave the gates open those nights.

She sneaked into her dorm like she always did.

When she got to her room, she felt surprised to see the lights were on. Andrea didn't use to wait up for her those nights.

-Where have you been? – A mad and tired Andrea shouted at her the second she stepped inside.

It took Sophia a couple of seconds to recover from that.

-What do you mean, Andrea? I was at the palace. – She replied.

-Don't lie to me! I found it strange that it was taking you so long to get here; you always leave those dances the second they're over. I called worried to the palace and the servants told me you had definitely left at the usual hour! It does not take two and half hours to get here! _Where_ have you been?

Sophia bit her lip. She certainly didn't want to involve Andrea with her current circumstances.

However, before she could come up with an excuse, Andrea grabbed her arm abruptly and looked at her wrist.

-Is this blood? – She asked with a whole new face. – Goodness! Lady Sophia, just what happened to you? You look even worse than usual.

A silent pause was born. Andrea's expecting face did not back off. Sophia never mustered enough courage to evade her way into the room; she just avoided it completely.

-Good night, Andrea. – Sophia whispered with a fake smile before leaving using the door she never closed.

She ran into the hallways, ignoring Andrea's calls and took advantage of the fact that Andrea's eyes were not used to the darkness of the hallways like hers were and lost her.

She exited the building and headed to the garden outside the library. She often liked to muse there when it was alone at night, but it was the first time she was there so late. She felt bad her whole way there and hoped Andrea hadn't woken anyone up, though it was likely she had.

_No… I cannot feel bad about something as insignificant as this. I must get used to this feeling. I must learn to feel comfortable around it. I must forget the meaning of guilt…_

She reached the library's garden. Much to her surprise, the bench where she usually sat on was occupied.

The person stood up as soon as he saw her. Sophia froze. He was the other person she was trying to avoid.

-I had the feeling you'd come here. – He said.

She did not respond.

He walked closer to her. The 9 cm difference between their heights was noticeable when he stood that close.

She gazed at his hazel eyes with her violet ones and neither of them spoke for 45 seconds.

-Did you turn off your cell phone on purpose, Vice-president? – He asked.

She looked away.

-Did Andrea catch you? – He asked with the same voice tone. – I told you Japanese was pushing it.

-It's not like that Jack. – She replied. – Besides, I needed to make it believable. Which other language would I want to learn discreetly during night if not one I shouldn't, like Japanese? Besides, she didn't even say anything about it.

He almost raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

-Seriously? Well, I didn't see that coming. Anyways, does that mean you just forgot about tonight?

-Yes. – She nodded.

He sighed.

-It's OK. The client actually cancelled. He was not that big a fish and the pay was whatever. However, it's no good for your reputation to reject jobs. Had he not cancelled…

-Jack… - She intended to interrupt him.

-You know I'm right. Anyhow, he said the game was rescheduled for…

-Jacob. – She called louder.

-What is it? – He asked surprised. She only called him by his real name when serious.

Sophia's lips appeared to tremble momentarily.

-I will not be in business anymore. – She said curtly.

Jacob Holmes pulled off a surprised face. Clear expressions seldom crossed his face. The frown he permanently wore vanished after she spoke.

-That's not a good joke. – He said in denial.

-I'm not kidding you, Jacob. – She continued serious. – I am no longer going to continue in the chess business. The customer of this evening was my last one.

-Are you going to tell me why? – He asked upset.

-There is something else I have to do and it requires a good deal of my time. – Her eyelids half-closed, as if trying to avoid his look. – I've been in this for two years now and I've made a large enough fortune. I believe I don't need more money.

He growled before sighing heavily.

Ten seconds passed while he slowly calmed down. Jack brushed his fair reddish orange hair with his hand and sighed once more.

-You know? – He sounded calm enough; his hand was still in his head. – You initiated me into this. – He stated, trying to dissimulate his melancholy.

-I did. – She grinned sadly. – And I'm not telling you to stop. You can still be in the business; there are plenty other players who would be happy to have you as their partner.

-But they're not as good as you.

She chuckled lightly and then looked straight at his eyes unhesitant.

-I know. Sorry, but I'm leaving, and flattery will not convince me otherwise.

-We both know you're not sorry. – He replied with his disappointed face. – But I cannot force you, either.

-Thank you, Jack. – She then gave him a peck on the left cheek before turning on her heel

Jack Holmes stood still as a statue while she was walking away. His expression went from down to baffled.

Five feet away from him, Sophia put on the best smile she could manage before turning her head to look at him once more.

-I think you're going to be in trouble if you prolong your sick-leave any more. So, see you tomorrow, Student Administrator.

She immediately turned her head and continued her way without noticing his expression turned even more surprised.

He didn't give one step from his place for several minutes. He brought his hand to the place she had kissed his cheek while still gazing at the path she walked.

He finally lowered his arm after regaining his composure.

-Working with anyone other than you wouldn't be fun. I only want you to be my partner, Vice-president. – He whispered softly.

X Jacob Holmes's Flashback X

After a fight with his roommate, Jack decided to run away from his dorm and passed by random buildings. He sighed. There were many people outside that day and he wanted to be alone. He suddenly gazed at a random building's rooftop and decided to search for his loneliness at the top.

It was his first year at Ashford Academy. He still hadn't adapted to the place and, because of his serious and introverted nature, he hadn't made any friends. Only a couple of months before he had joined the Student Council against his will since he just couldn't say 'No' to the Superintendent. He found that woman too strange for him to understand; she just had that something that made it impossible for him to reject anything she asked him. He wasn't the only one. Many people even denominated the 'Superintendent's possessive magic spell'. He barely spoke at the Council's meetings; it wasn't surprising many were yet to notice his presence. To make things harder, his roommate was just a loud person who didn't let him sleep at nights because he snored louder than a plane engine.

He sighed again as he reached the top.

Sitting there, without paying attention to the surroundings, was a student wearing headphones. She seemed upset with her laptop.

-Why can't the webcam work? – He heard her mutter upset.

-Vice-president? – Jack asked slightly surprised.

Her expression was more shocked than his when she noticed him.

-What are you doing? – Jacob asked.

Her lips gaped a second and she needed some time to talk.

-I-It's none of your business, Main Student Administrator. – She stated before clearing her throat.

Before she knew it, he was sitting next to her and typing while looking over her laptop's monitor.

-Hey! – She exclaimed while getting over the surprise. – Who gave you permission to touch my stuff?

-Fixed. – He replied cool.

-What? – She was taken aback by that reply.

-I fixed the problem that didn't allow you to use the webcam. – He turned to her.

She glared at him in disbelief before taking back her laptop in an abrupt manner.

-That's ridiculous; you couldn't have solved it that fast… - She trailed off and her lips gaped again as she stared at the monitor. The webcam was on.

She turned again to see him with even more disbelief. They locked gazes for several seconds before a call's ring brought them both back to reality.

She immediately answered it.

-Hello? – A voice was heard on the line.

-Let's go straight to the point. – She began. – Turn on the camera and show me the board.

Jack then saw how a chess board appeared at the monitor.

_Is she going to play chess online with a friend?_ – He wondered. – _What a nerd. As expected of the Academy's Vice-president._

-This is an easy case. – She paid no mind to Jack. – Move the Queen, customer.

'_Customer'?_ – He continued thinking while observing her.

-Yes. – Sophia continued. – Now move the piece next to it.

_Is she telling her friend how to move the pieces? She's not playing as rival, then?_

Sophia raised an eyebrow just after he thought the previous.

-I didn't expect the opponent to make that move. Although it looks as if it gave him the advantage, trust me, that was a stupid move. Now, move the Knight forward.

He silently witnessed the next 5 minutes while glancing at the screen monitor. He soon understood she was helping someone win against an opponent that grew mad as the short time passed. He was not very good at chess but he considered the initial situation to the opponent's advantage. It was incredible how that girl managed to swiftly change things to her 'customer's' advantage.

-Checkmate. – Sophia finished.

The man at the other side of the monitor seemed joyous and relieved while the opponent was raging.

-Remember, I charge per minute; it's been seven. – Sophia finished before closing the lid.

She then turned to see an astonished orange-haired guy.

-Is what you just did illegal? – He asked bluntly.

-It depends on your point of view to know that. – She responded while standing up.

He followed and stood up as well.

-Will you not ask me not to tell on you? You're the Vice-president, after all, and this wouldn't look good on your profile.

-I can see you're a jerk, but I don't consider you capable of doing that, Student Administrator. – She defied with a smirk. – Besides, you have neither motive nor proof to go against me. On another note, the reason I let you watch is to know if you're interested.

-I-Interested? In illegal chess? I'm not that good, you know?

-I figured as much since you didn't quite seem to understand the moves I made. However, you seem to be dexterous with computers and your grades at computer science are the highest of the class. I could use a skilled partner? – She invited confident.

-Why would I consider helping you? – He scratched his head while looking away.

-The pay's good. I'll give you a reasonable percent of my profit if you help me.

-Huh, so the Student Council's Vice-president is a criminal? Why do you need money anyways? Aren't you rich like everyone else in here?

Her grin vanished and she turned away.

-Well, if you're not interested, I cannot force you. See you at the Council meeting, Main Student Administrator.

She walked away without turning her head back.

He sat on the rooftop and mused while staring at the darkening sky.

The next day, he stopped by the same time at about the same time and searched for her, but she was nowhere in that rooftop.

Then, half an hour later, she ran in, upset, and worked.

-Did you forget your client's appointment? – He asked.

-If it doesn't concern you, why interested in knowing? – She asked.

He looked away with shrugged shoulders.

-Is yesterday's offer still open? – He asked nonchalantly.

She smiled.

-So you are interested, after all. Well, tough luck because it is not. – She replied.

He turned to her wide-eyed. She laughed without control.

-I couldn't resist, sorry. – She said while trying to calm herself down. – It is still open.

He seemed slightly mad but she didn't care so he just resigned to ask her more.

-How much do you charge to the 'customers'?

-Seventy five thousand Britannian pounds a minute.

He was taken aback by that number.

-Seventy five thousand a minute? – He exclaimed, temporarily losing his frown. – If I remember correctly, you charged yesterday's customer for 7 minutes; that's over half a million Britannian pounds!

-Winning these chess games earns each customer several millions of pounds; half a million is just a small investment for them. The price is not unfair, for it is guaranteed I'll get them to win.

-And how much of that would I get if I helped you?

-Perhaps 15%.

-What? Isn't that too little?

-For helping me with technical problems? Not really. It's still a lot more than what the average computer specialist earns at a formal job.

-How about 30%? If you give me that much, I'll create a special program for you to visualize chess boards a bit better.

-Sounds interesting, but 30% is still too much.

-Would it be fine if I also acted as your talking agenda so you never forgot your appointments? As a matter of fact, I could help you get customers by setting up meeting arrangements. All you'd have to do is help them when the time for that comes and that's it.

-You're saying you have the guts to negotiate illegal business with people of high fortunes? – She asked, highly interested.

-Of course; if a girl can do it, then so can I.

She laughed.

-Fine then. 30% it is. Remember, you must not make arrangements while I'm at class.

-I'll remember.

-May I inquire as to why you suddenly feel greedy after what you said yesterday?

-My family's fortune is diminishing. While I'm here, my older siblings were sent to study abroad, at Britannia's University of Technology. I want to study at a good university too.

-So I see. – She nodded.

-May I know why _you_ need money?

She looked at him, reluctant to speak. She glanced at the sky while talking.

-I want to be free. – She said. – If I want to be free, I must make a living by myself.

She turned to him, who was trying to understand her words, and smiled.

-I'll be seeing you, Student Administrator. – She said before leaving.

He stared at the sky next and wondered which of the stars was the one her eyes were fixated upon.

They kept on meeting several late afternoons at that very rooftop. She had told him his presence was unnecessary but he still watched her work every so often. She never stopped amazing him, no matter how often he saw her win games that would be considered lost by most.

-Why do you always work here? – He asked her several days later.

-I cannot let Andrea or the others see me. – She answered.

-I meant at this place in particular.

She looked at him before gazing up.

-It's quiet and nice too. – That was all she added.

Some months passed and they still kept at it.

-You know? – He started. - I've been doing some research. The profit could be doubled, or even tripled, if you worked at night too.

She raised an eyebrow.

-If you've done research, then you know that at night the only games that take place are at facilities run by the mafia and that they don't let you give help. In that kind of place, to earn, you must play, and in person, too.

-Are you saying you cannot win if it's in person or if you start the game yourself?

She grinned defiant.

-I can. It is quite risky, though, but I can handle it. Are _you_ willing to go?

-I'll drive you.

-Nah, I should drive.

-Why?

-Because you don't know how to drive my ride.

-Why would we go in your 'ride'?

-Cars need the gates to be open and security could catch us. Our vehicle should be able to pass through easily.

-Fine, then! You drive, but I'm still going. – He replied.

She smirked.

-Arrange a game for me.

-You got it.

-What will you do so your roommate doesn't tell on you, though? – She asked him.

-He won't notice I'm gone. Once he falls asleep, not even a hurricane would wake him up. What about you?

-I'll manage, Student Administrator. – She said.

-You don't need to call me by my title. 'Jack' is just fine. – He said while looking away from her face.

Sophia raised an eyebrow.

-I thought your name was 'Jacob', Student Administrator.

He blushed and replied nothing. She chortled.

-Fine. 'Jack' it is.

-Thank you. – He whispered softly, but she still heard him.

That is how months passed and they both went missing at nights to gamble and play chess.

Main Student Administrator, Jacob Holmes, got over his introverted nature thanks to the numerous evenings he spent with Vice-president, Sophia White. Of course, he still frowned most of the time and the majority of girls at school thought he was scary.

X End of Jack Holmes's Flashback X

He smiled.

-It wouldn't be fun with someone else, Vice-president. – He said out loud even though there was no one to listen.

Sophia roamed aimlessly around campus, which was like a ghost town at night. She couldn't understand a specific part of the past memories she had just retrieved. She had been alone for a while, but she still needed to walk to a place where isolation is permanent, even in daytime, in order to allow herself to shed tears. She was moved.

Everything became confusing. She wasn't sure what to think of her very existence while analyzing what she had seen. What had she seen? The answer might vary. Some would say it was a cruel abomination from a tyrannical and sadistic man, others would say it was a heartbreaking part of History and only a few knew it was a sacrifice from a selfless man who did not hesitate, a man that was remarkably firm and worthy of admiration. Unfortunately, his sacrifice had been rendered meaningless the minute Schneizel el Britannia threw another bomb of war to end the peace his predecessor in the throne had given everything he had to establish.

_My father…_ - Sophia's tears trickled down while she pondered. – _Just what is this all supposed to be? I am not my father because I am already crying… I did not hesitate to start, but, now that I understand better what I am facing, I am unsure of whether or not I can do it… Samuel…No, Shiro, knew this. This is what he was trying to tell me so badly that time… If my brother is alive, he must be out there fighting. He's been fighting all along! Brother, I apologize… I wish I could've known…If only I had known…! (…) What now?_

Indeed, she had understood a good deal of what she had just remembered before. She was just not the type to cry in front of anyone. All the while, since she was in the Lamborghini with Z.Z. until that instant, she had been yearning for a lonely place to cry, holding back her tears meanwhile.

Her tears ceased. She had not shed a tear in four years, since her brother separated from her life. She was exhausted.

She had no place to sleep other than her bed…At her dorm…Where Andrea was.

The young girl did not want to face the maid, but she knew she'd have to see her sooner or later. She had lied to her many times. For several months, she had been fleeing at nights to play chess, with Jack next to her. Truth was, she had mastered Japanese quite a while ago. But she found it harder to lie this time in particular. What was going to be her excuse? She had no idea.

She thought about one on her way to the dorms. Before getting there, she stopped by a fountain to wash away the remnants of her tears and the dried blood on her wrist.

Something else replaced her mind's priority when she was in the building's front. She could see several lights through the windows. How many people had Andrea woken up with her screams? The high-schooler bit her inferior lip before breathing in deeply and entering. Her new goal was far more challenging than this. She was certain that she would not make it if she couldn't even face this.

She tried being as discreet as possible and evaded being spotted by other people. She had a lie prepared for Andrea, but not one to explain why she was given the privilege of not having the curfew applied to her. She had successfully kept her dreaded identity as princess a secret; she was not going to reveal it at this point.

Nonetheless, she still noticed people didn't really seem overwhelmed. She saw many lights were turned off as the lights that showed beneath the closed doors disappeared.

She hid in a corner when a couple of girls in pajamas passed by and overheard their conversation.

-I wonder what that maid's shouting was all about. Seriously, she scared me! – One of them exclaimed.

-I'm more worried about Ms. Superintendent being there. Did you see her serious expression? – The other one commented.

-I know! What's with that? Who would've thought Ms. Superintendent knew how to be serious.

-By the way, whose dorm was that?

-I'm sure it's the Vice-president's.

-Huh? You're kidding! – Her expression seemed surprised.

-I'm not. But that makes me even more curious. I mean, don't you think she's kinda mysterious too?

-Now that you mention it, I don't know anything other than her being in the honor roll. I think her name was Wheat or something like that…

-I only remember her first name being Sally, I think. – The other one mused.

-Well, do you think we'll hear anything tomorrow?

-Oh, I hope…

Then the conversation ended as they turned around a corner. Sophia had a drop at the back of her head and a vein on her forehead was highlighted. '_Sally Wheat'? What the hell? What kind of person would be named 'Sally Wheat'? They must be freshmen or something. Oh, they'll know my name in Valentine's Day, though. (…) But popularity brings attention and focus; I must find a way to not call for any attention…If I were to do what I wish… Will I do it, though?_

She kept walking until she found her dorm number. The door was open closed. It did seem like the girls she had unwillingly eavesdropped on had come from there. Had there been people that came worried when they heard Andrea screaming?

Sophia opened the door. There was Andrea. Sophia was shocked when she saw the tear marks on the maid's cheeks. She had gotten home later than usual but was that enough to make her cry? Next to Andrea, stood Superintendent Ashford wearing purple silk pajamas over her light sweater. Her expression looked uncharacteristically serious, just like the girls from the hallway said. They both turned to her when she stepped in.

Andrea gasped and quickly stood up. She walked to her slowly and hugged Sophia. Confused, she returned the hug.

-Lady Sophia! – She exclaimed with new tears on her face. – Why didn't you tell me of the accident?

Sophia stopped breathing a second.

-I…I! – Her weeping didn't allow Andrea to speak.

-I'll continue for you, Andrea. – Milly Ashford said.

Her seriousness shattered when she smiled and placed a hand on Andrea's shoulder to look reassuring. Andrea nodded and sat down again.

Sophia turned in anticipation to the superintendent.

-Sophie, Andrea called the palace because she was worried you were not here yet. The servants let her know you left at the usual time and Andrea was preoccupied. Her worry increased when, she told me, you came here about an hour ago with blood on your wrist. She said you ran and she woke up a few girls but I believe they're all back to their rooms by now. More importantly, the servants at the palace let someone know you had yet to arrive here and someone went to investigate, following the route the limousine that brings you back should follow. They found the limousine had crashed. There was an alarming amount of blood at the driver's seat but it was empty and you were nowhere to be found. They called Andrea to inform her of the situation. She couldn't believe it at first because you seemed fine, but then she recalled the dried blood on your wrist… Then she called me, and I am here. – She then assumed seriousness in her look. – Sophie, let me see your wrist.

She didn't even let Sophia reply; she just took the girl's wrist. While it was clean now, there were inklings of blood on her sleeve. Milly assumed a solemn air on her eyes.

-Sophie, I believe Andrea deserves an explanation; she's been very disquieted by this all, you know?

Jack was not the only one who couldn't resist Superintendent's eyes. Sophia bit her lip a second. She proceeded to tell them of the crash and the attack, but she lied when she said she had no idea who the assaulters were, she did not mention Baron Carlson at all and she told them the driver had died. Her story narrated truthfully how she had survived and then strayed from honesty when she told them she merely ran away and escaped by losing the assaulters. She emphasized that she was fine and had taken no damage to ease Andrea's visible anxiety.

-But, Lady Sophia, why didn't you tell me of this an hour ago? – The distressed maid asked.

-I didn't want to get you involved. – She replied while looking straight at her eyes.

That was the only thing she had said to her that night that was heartfelt and true.

-I see. – Milly nodded and then offered them both a calm smile. – Well, it's very late already and I'm sure such an experience has tired you out, right, Sophie? We'll deal with this tomorrow. – She said as she headed to the door. – Good night, you two. – She said before leaving.

Sophia wanted to shower but she was too tired and had no energy to move for much longer.

She closed her room's door and let her body fall over her bed's mattress. It was soothing to let her back slowly get used to the surface. But before she could close shut her eyelids, she sat up abruptly with energy one can only obtain with surprise.

Sitting on the chair by her desk was someone who was facing her bed and staring quietly at her form.

They looked at each other for a couple of minutes without him saying anything as Sophia was recovering from he surprise and stared back at him, angry.

-This time, I demand an answer. – She told him frowning.

-You haven't made me a question yet. – Z.Z. replied tranquil.

-How about: 'What the hell are you doing in my room?' Does it sound good to you? – She asked sarcastically.

-I told you I had no place to stay while in the car.

-What ever happened to you staying at the palace?

-That can no longer be. – He replied with his unchanging monotonous tone.

-Why?

-For the past month, when driving you, I've been substituting the real driver. They know of the accident by now and they must have found out I was the one driving you. You told them I am dead. I have no doubt your words will reach the palace and taking them back seems improbable at this point. Hence, I have no place to stay. – He explained so calmly he might as well have drunk tea to make the environment smoother.

Sophia sighed heavily and covered her face with her palms while still sitting on her bed.

She slowly revealed her exhausted expression and stared at him once more; he was still in static serenity.

-So, you have nowhere to stay. Are you trying to tell me you want to stay here?

-I did not imply anything. I merely answered your questions, Snow. – He responded.

Sophia paused her train of thoughts momentarily. She was not used to be called 'Snow'. Even though she had requested herself to be addressed by it, it felt foreign. She gritted her teeth without outwardly showing it. 'Sophia' was not even her name, but because Schneizel gave it to her and made her forget everything else, she had no choice but to adopt it as her own.

-Why? – Z.Z. asked out of the blue.

She turned to look confused at the most dazzling blue eyes she had seen yet. His eyes, unlike her confused violet ones, were adamant in refusing to let hers see through him.

-Why what? – She replied without blinking, still staring at his blue eyes.

-Why did you ask me to address you by a name that you do not feel comfortable with?

Her irises contracted for a short instant and she suppressed a gasp.

-How do you know that?

His gaze gave away he hesitated a short second to tell her. He immediately masked that in his expression and turned it neutral again. Why did he refuse so vehemently to reveal his true self to her? Hadn't he seen everything in her when he woke up in her the 'power of the King'?

-My Geass.

-You can read minds? – She asked skeptical.

-I can hear a person's heart. – He corrected.

-How does that work? – She frowned. – How can you _hear_ a heart?

-I myself cannot phrase it properly in words. I simply know the state of people's emotions, their fear, anxiety, wishes, and I can sense when they are confused, joyous or sad.

-You got an interesting Geass. – She commented casually, not really astonished or intrigued about the matter.

-You haven't answered my question. – He reminded.

She turned to him with an iron look; he wasn't the only one who could pull one off.

-Why should I answer? – She defied.

-I've answered all your questions. It would only be fair you answer mine.

-You haven't let me see through you all night, you know? You have seen everything inside of me without any censure while you are stubborn about remaining mysterious to me. It would only be fair you let me see through you as well. – She struck back terminally while standing up.

She opened a door on the same wall the bed's headboard was against. He had glanced at the room a while ago and knew it led to the bathroom.

He immediately heard the shower being turned on and the door was closed. He waited still as a statue while she showered.

She came out ten minutes later. Her pajamas consisted of black shorts that only reached her thighs and a red tank top with no sleeves. She wore a towel over her shoulders to keep water from dripping from her green hair.

She then took notice of him. Had he moved at all in the past ten minutes? She already knew he was a strange man, but she was yet to find out how strange he could get.

-You know? – She commented while putting her towel aside. – I haven't said you could stay here yet.

-I am aware of that. – He replied unworried.

She stared at him another minute, awkward and long, and sighed.

-It's not that I mind, but I cannot let anyone see you here.

-I will not let anyone see me. – He was trying to convince her, yet his voice was the same; it just didn't sound like he was even interested despite what he was asking.

She grinned and let out a brief chuckle. Just like her father, was she also going to hide a person in her room? Andrea lived with her and she was not blind, so it was going to be troublesome. On the other hand, she felt she still had more things to learn from him and she owed him a wish.

-Look, I don't know. Andrea could suspect things and I do not want her involved in this…

-'This'? – He asked her. – Does that pronoun comprehend the situation you're about to get into? Should I, then, understand that you have decided?

-Decided what?

-I must say I'm surprised you took the Geass when you still lacked resolve. – His voice finally changed; now it sounded somewhat strict. – I thought I had made it clear, Snow; this is not a game. Consequences will come to you inevitably. Will you not make the price worth it?

-I… - She was going speechless.

-You are confused because you are yet to understand your past. Your heart tells me you are uncertain and do not even know what you should be called anymore. Such a weak heart will not survive the battle you signed up for. – His expression seemed even more upset with each sentence. – If you're going to do it, then you must do it right or you'll die. To do things right, you must be sure it's what you want. The path you've chosen is filled with thorns, poison and pain and it will not allow you to pause and breathe very often, all while you try to walk with weights chained to your ankles. Still, your will and strength alone _must_ be great enough as to not let any of that make you hesitate. You are into quite the situation, Snow vi Britannia.

Sophia felt as if she were shrinking while Z.Z.'s figure grew bigger. She was wordless; she couldn't even phrase anything in thoughts. She couldn't say a word in reply because she knew he was entirely right.

They stared at each other's eyes and entered a silent trance that was only broken when they heard knocks on Sophia's door. Both of their heads turned to it in a way that looked almost automatic.

-Lady Sophia? – Andrea called. – Are you talking to someone? I hear voices in there.

This was exactly the reason she opposed Z.Z. staying there.

-Um, there is nobody here other than me, Andrea! I'm only talking on the phone, which is on speaker mode.

Andrea replied with silence. Sophia's frown grew deeper. Andrea's silence meant she had not bought it, and she couldn't blame her; even she thought it was a daft excuse for a lie.

Her eyes scanned the familiar room quickly in search for a hiding place. Her eyes stopped at the closet. She didn't say a word or even looked at him when she grabbed his left elbow and quickly ran and practically threw him inside the closet.

She closed the door just in time to see the young maid entering her room.

-Lady Sophia? – She asked while actually scanning the room for suspicious traits.

-Yes, Andrea? – Sophia replied sweetly, and that was suspicious.

-I doubt a voice could be heard that loudly on the phone. – She pressured.

Andrea proceeded to walk around the room and peeked inside the bathroom.

-W-What are you doing, Andrea?

Sophia's nervousness increased with each step Andrea took that got her closer to the closet.

-Your Highness, are you hiding something here?

Sophia gulped. She only called her by that title when she was perfectly serious. She didn't have a setup in the form of a Japanese book this time. _What now?_

Andrea's honey-colored eyes suddenly turned to the dark wooden closet. Sophia gulped again, more visibly this time. Her heart beat faster and harder with each step she took to approach the closet.

Sophia then hurried and placed herself in front of Andrea.

-Ah, don't worry about my uniform, Andrea; I have a spare one to wear tomorrow. – She tried to grin and look convincing.

Unfortunately, she could tell in the maid's eyes that she was still doubtful of her words. She bit her inferior lip.

A meow was heard suddenly. Both women turned to the open window and saw a black cat standing in the window's frame. Its yellow eyes were fixated on the wooden closet.

_What is a cat doing here?_ – Sophia strayed from her prior thoughts.

Andrea walked to the window and carried the cat, which licked its face. Andrea smiled.

-Lady Sophia, you know it's against the rules to have pets. I understand you hiding it, but I'm afraid I must let it go. – She said.

Sophia was bemused. She must have darn good luck… She nodded absentmindedly, and Andrea let the cat run away.

-I didn't know you liked cats, though. – She commented. – I remember you used to bring a stray dog every week when you were in your second year of middle school. You even tried to hide them from me. – She laughed at the memory. – I simply thought you preferred dogs, Lady Sophia, since you never once brought a cat.

-R-Right. – Sophia felt too slow to reply anything coherent.

Andrea then retired from her room. Sophia gave a big sigh when the door to her room was closed.

She then opened the closet's doors. There stood Z.Z., inhumanly immobile.

-You see what I mean when I tell you it would be hard for you not to be seen? – She hissed.

He didn't reply; he only stared at her gravely.

-Look, it's clear for tonight. You can stay for a night here. I'll look for a place where you can stay tomorrow.

He still remained silent. She looked at his blue eyes; she did not like the haughty look in them that looked down on her.

-You must make up your mind. – He continued bluntly without hiding the dislike in his eyes. Did he not like her? –You must make a decision, Snow. You don't have the luxury of time, so you're going to have to hurry. I expect to hear it from you soon. – He finished frigidly.

He was about to close the door to the closet when she dared to speak.

-Will you be sleeping in that closet?

-It's ample enough. – He replied before closing the door.

She just stood there, frozen. She looked at the closet. Z.Z. was right, its base was as big as a twin size bed; a person definitely fit there. She didn't know how comfortable it was going to be, though, but she had more important things rushing through her mind. Every word he said that night was true. She had to make a decision. She thought she was resolved to do it…But her unlocked past showed her it was not going to be simply challenging. What kind of sacrifices would she have to make? Just seeing what she saw intimidated her; it was the kind of thing that would make anyone hesitate and only the brave ones wouldn't tremble at the idea alone.

She yawned. She didn't want to go to bed. She wanted to think. She needed to think everything through. But, many times, even when we are very passionate about what we are doing, because we are human, we need rest. Regardless of our efforts, bodily needs usually make our resistance futile.

She let her body fall over her bed. Without covering her body with the sheets, she fell asleep instantly.

The next morning, Andrea entered Sophia's room and slid the curtains to let the warm sunrays touch a familiar sleeping face. Then, she lifted the bed's mattress sideways and the teenager sleeping in it rolled to the floor.

She groaned in pain and then stared at her when she finally opened her deep violet eyes.

-Andrea! That's not the way you wake anyone up! – She whined.

-Lady Sophia, I know you stayed up until very late yesterday, but you cannot be late to your classes.

Sophia scratched her head in reluctant resignation.

-Cheer up, Miss. – Andrea smiled. – It's Friday now. You'll get to sleep in tomorrow.

-You call shaking me awake since nine sleeping in?

-Nine o' clock is late enough, Lady Sophia. – Andrea retaliated.

Sophia sighed and her eyes roamed until they found the clock on her bedside table. It read 7:51 AM. Her eyes went wide that moment. She needed to hurry…Badly. She hastily stood up from the floor and went ahead to brush her teeth and wash her face.

Andrea took the liberty of opening the closet to take out Sophia's clean uniform. Sophia's heart skipped a beat when she saw the black wooden doors of the closet being opened.

She hastily turned her head and ran in there without drying her wet face first.

Andrea turned to her.

-Is something wrong, Lady Sophia? – She asked surprised.

Sophia's face was surprised as well. She walked next to the maid and glanced inside the closet where a handsome man's body was supposed to be resting. Other than hanged clothes, she found nothing. What was the meaning of that?

_Was it all a dream?_ – She wondered with a scowl.

Andrea stared at her confused. She knew something was going on. That girl was acting strange since the night before…At least, stranger than usual.

-Miss. - She called sweetly while giving her the uniform. – You know that I will listen to you when there is anything that bothers you, right?

Sophia was lost in her sea of thoughts when the maid called her. She tardily nodded her head and muttered incoherent sounds.

Andrea walked to the bathroom and gave her a towel to dry her face, from which water dripped and spilled on the black and white tiles of the floor.

-And Miss… - Andrea called again.

-Y-Yeah? – Sophia asked anxious.

The maid merely replied by signaling to the clock on her wooden bedside table, which matched the closet.

Sophia's head turned to it and almost screeched when she learned class was about to start in four minutes.

She hurried and undressed right in the spot and threw her clothes all over the floor. She then took a toast from the table and left muttering 'Goodbye' while holding the piece of bread with her teeth.

Andrea looked at the room. When that girl was in a hurry, she had the same effects as an instant tornado. She sighed.

_That girl will be the death of me._ – She thought to herself, like she did at least once a week.

She proceeded to clean before leaving to shop for groceries.

Sophia ran like a gust of wind and made it to the classroom exactly 30 seconds before it was 8.

-Made it! – She said victorious.

-As usual. – A familiar voice mocked.

She turned to stare at a blond boy before walking to sit right behind him.

-Good morning, Sophia. – Alice and Mary said, the latter one with vividly flushed cheeks.

-Good morning, Mary, Alice. – Sophia returned the greeting.

-Hey, Sophia. – Alice called from behind and handed her a blue notebook. – I went to your dorm yesterday to return the Science notes you lent me last week, but you were not there. Andrea said you were studying with someone else that night.

-Of course. – Sophia replied normally; that was the usual excuse Andrea told anyone that visited on a dance night.

-But the tests were over on Monday. – Alice continued.

-I was helping someone who hadn't passed a test and is yet to take it. – She lied.

-Was it Jack? – A person that was just arriving greeted while sitting next to Alice. - Ah, good morning everyone.

-Good morning, Tom. – Mary and Mike greeted simultaneously; the first one flushed.

-Jack? Really? – Alice grinned.

-Not really. – Sophia relied. – Why would you think it's Jack? He's a member of the Council; he wouldn't fail.

Alice sighed. The girl that sat in front of her never caught that particular innuendo. Even Tom, who always smiled, frowned a brief moment in disappointment.

-Oh, don't play fool, Sophia. – Mike grinned suspiciously. – You don't need to lie; there's nothing wrong with you helping Jack.

Sophia scowled with little patience.

-But I didn't help Jack, Michael. – She said.

-Huh? You only call me 'Michael' when angry, Sophia. – His grin expanded. – Why are you denying it so 'vihemently'?

-It's 'vehemently', you genius. – Alice said mad. – Learn how to use a darn dictionary for once in your life.

Alice threw him an eraser that hit him in the head. The eraser was thrown with such strength that Mike's head felt it no different than a rock. Indeed, Alice's aim and anger were intimidating. Mike was knocked out and Mary had her hand over her mouth, worried.

-The substitute teacher is late. – Alice commented casually as if she hadn't just knocked out someone.

-Speaking of the Main Student Administrator, he's late too. – A voice scared everyone.

From the floor a shadow rose and it shook everyone. After a pause in which everyone realized it was just the President, who seemed to have woken up that instant, Alice rose from her seat and shook him before throwing him to his seat in front of Mary. Mad Alice was scary.

-Alice, don't you think you went a bit overboard…? – Mary asked softly and trailed off when Alice turned to her creepily.

-That idiot of a President needs to _stop_ scaring people like that; he annoys me!

_But you scare us all the time…_ - Everyone thought but no one was courageous enough to say it out loud.

The substitute teacher arrived and class began soon afterwards.

Sophia barely had an idea of what the lesson was about. She didn't even read the name of the substitute teacher on the board. All she could think about was Z.Z. not being in the closet.

When her last class of the morning finished, she had a free period she usually used to talk to Jack about that day's 'appointments'. That would no longer be it. Actually, now that she thought about it, Jack didn't listen to her and did not show up to class again. He was going to get in trouble.

Sophia roamed everywhere in search for a tall red-haired and blue-eyed guy.

Old habits die hard. She ended up at the garden outside the library. She sat down at the bench and continued musing.

_It couldn't have been a dream…_ - She had repeated to herself ceaselessly all morning.

She stood up and faced the library building. She was yet to search there. The glass of the doors reflected her. She stopped walking as she saw her own eye, the one she had used last night to get Baron Carlson killed. She slowly extended her arm to the front as if trying to touch her eye's reflection. _Was it really just a dream? Did I never stand a chance against Schneizel…? What about Shiro? What about our parents…? Did I never receive an opportunity to have them back?_

She shook her head and finally entered the library. Just like she imagined, Z.Z. was not there. Had he disappeared?

She roamed around the hallways and sauntered around the beautiful tall old bookcases. By mere chance, her eye read a book's title, "The Illusion of the Past".

She stopped and stared at the book for a while. Not once did she think of picking it from the shelf it was on. _An illusion? _– She asked herself. – _Was what I saw as my past an illusion? Was everything just a lie? Did my parents really die in a fire like Uncle Schneizel said? Was it really just a dream?_

-No… - She whispered softly.

Her right hand's palm was on her temple when she stepped back, as if in fear of the book.

Her back bumped into another bookcase. She was surprised for a second. She turned her head and tried to calm herself down by telling herself it was just a bookcase. Her eyes glanced at another book's bold title, also by happenstance, "Lack of Resolve".

She gulped. _Resolve?_ – That question echoed in her head.

She curtly turned her head to the opposite side. Close to her face, she read another title, "No Wish for Resolve, No Wish for Decisions".

Resolve? Decisions? What did they have to do with one another at all? Resolve is resolve. Decisions are decisions…

-No… - She whispered again before turning her face again.

She felt ridiculous. This was all ridiculous. Since when was she afraid of books? Why was her heart beating so fast for mere words?

Her eyesight came across yet another couple of titles, "Fear of Change" and "Can I really do this?"

Sophia squeezed her eyes shut. She felt she was going insane. She didn't want to be there anymore and simply ran away from that place, exiting the library, and never found out she was in the Psychology section.

Breathing was easier outside. Whether it was the fresh air or the sensation of freedom from the asphyxiating feeling she had, it didn't matter much.

Her free period was over. She only had a few more classes to attend to.

Much to her surprise, the seat next to hers was not empty as it had been for over a week now. In that chair sat a student with reddish orange hair and hazel eyes, frowning as accustomed.

-Jacob Holmes, - President called in his 'serious' mode, but not even seriousness got him to open his eyes. – I, as President, must remind you that missing so many class days is not the attitude a member of the Student Council must show. – He moved around very lively and some could see magic stars around him. – A member of the Student Council must inspire other students to give their best academically! A member of the Student Council must be a role model for everyone in society, even outside the Academy's grounds! A member of the Student Council must make everyone feel envious because they're not as cool as us! A member of the… OUCH!

Alice interrupted him violently with her fist.

-Says the guy that is always sleeping everywhere! – Alice hissed.

Mike and Mary gulped frightened as Alice proceeded to hit the school's president.

-So, Jack. – Tom began, unaffected by the sight of Alice's violent tendencies. – How did you manage to make your 'cold' last so long?

-Like I'd know. – Jack replied.

Some student sitting close by shrieked and pushed their desks as far from where Jack sat as possible. While the Student Council was used to his scary expression and knew that he wasn't really as frightening as he looked, most other students didn't know better.

Many were yet to understand how someone who was pretty such a feared person could occupy a seat at the Student Council. The superintendent's influence sure was unquestionable.

Sophia sat down; only then was she noticed by the others.

Tom and Alice, who had finally stopped beating the president that lied on the floor knocked out, exchanged glares for a second and grinned.

Mike's grin was barely discreet and Mary smiled while watching eagerly.

Jack turned to her. Sophia only spared him a glance for a second and said:

-I see you listened to my advice, after all.

Her voice was serious and uninterested. Later, she turned to look outside the window next to her. She was not in the mood to talk; she just wanted to submerge deeper into her ocean of thoughts.

Jack looked away when he realized she was not going to stop looking at the sky anytime soon. His limited response was to simply nod.

Disappointment crossed everyone's faces. They thought they'd at least _exchange_ words. She just gave a lame random comment and he only gave her a measly nod which she didn't even see because she was, most likely, thinking. What was on her mind? Only God knew that.

However, they had noticed Sophia seemed to be thinking about God-knows-what all morning and she apparently was still not over it.

-Hey, Alice. – Tom whispered. – Sophia's been looking out the window all day, hasn't she?

-She has. – Alice answered without taking her eyes off Sophia's pondering back. – I wonder if she's worried about something.

Mike and Mary didn't fail to notice Sophia's somewhat gloomy mood that day, either. But it was a different story with Jack. He was still having a hard time believing what she told him that early morning. _Whatever happened to making a living by herself? Did Vice-president change her mind or did she simply reach the amount of money she wanted from the beginning? (…) What did she want the money for anyways? What was it that she meant with 'being free'?_

First class of noon passed uneventfully. Sophia had not paid attention all day.

History class was next. The teacher came in and wrote on the board 'Britannia's Dark Year'.

Sophia couldn't help noticing that. At last, her eyes were no longer on the sky outside and her face looked straight at the blackboard.

-Today we're going start covering unit two. – The short black-haired teacher announced. – The main focus will be the suppression of rights our previous King, if we could call him that, Lelouch vi Britannia, forced upon the Britannian nation. We'll learn that he limited the amount of information given to the public in all media. TV and newspapers were severely punished if they did not broadcast exactly what King Lelouch asked. He took away many of the rights of the people. Services for the community, especially health, were deteriorated because the budget he passed gave little funds to support governmental institutions. Yet, the taxes were raised significantly. Most of the money went to storage, only used for war and his personal expenses, which, it is worth mentioning, were spent without restraint; it was considered a monumental waste by most. He is considered the epitome of despotism in all of our History. Fortunately, his reign did not last long. One year after he assumed power, someone hired a murderer to finish with the King's life. While the identity of the person who did that is unknown, most people in Britannia are grateful. That single year is known as 'Britannia's Dark Year' Soon afterwards, our present day King, Schneizel el Britannia, took the throne. He has occupied the throne for over a decade now. While his government is yet to finish, we know for certain we are not approaching another 'dark year'. Make sure you know that for the next test.

Sophia felt as if each sentence was a hit on her guts. She had listened to that lecture many times before in her life. She always thought something was slightly off with the way that part of History was taught but she always shook the feeling off; before, it was just insignificant. That was not the case anymore…

_You're wrong… That is all wrong! It's a big lie! You talk as if you knew History, but none of you know what truly happened! None of you know the purpose of Lelouch…_ - She felt strange calling him Lelouch, but she didn't have the courage to call him like she thought she should because she didn't even know if what she had seen in her past was true. – _None of you know! He saved us all! He did it for peace to come! Schneizel is no saint! He's the most despicable bastard there is! He has manipulated everyone to think like this… _- She closed her fists tightly, trying to contain herself from yelling what her thoughts said. – _The true villain here is my uncle! 'We know for certain we are not approaching another dark year'? What the hell? We're in the middle of a war my saint uncle began! _– She closed her eyes, fighting to keep her composure. – _I… I myself do not understand very well what happened in reality with Britannia in those years. I don't even know what my own History is! But I could never believe one word you educators tell me about Lelouch vi Britannia. He…He couldn't possibly be who you say he is. Schneizel might think he's manipulating you, but, in truth, he's not. Lelouch himself wanted you all to think ill of him so all hatred died with him…_

The class finished while Sophia was still thinking desperate. She couldn't help feeling angry; she herself didn't know why. While she did not consider herself cool-headed, she was not so easy to get angry either; she was not Alice. Sophia bit her lip in frustration. Everything was stressing her. She felt so vulnerable to her surroundings and it made her feel mad at herself. _I must be weak… Then, how could I think I could do what Lelouch did?_

The next class began. She didn't even know what they were talking about or which class it was. She couldn't get over her thoughts.

Class finished and everyone was leaving but Sophia sat still, her expression absent.

-Sophia? – Alice called.

Sophia did not reply. Mike shook her awake.

-Wake up, Sophia! Stop daydreaming! – He said loudly.

Sophia's irises rolled in confusion and then stared emptily at Mike. She had no idea what time it was but she guessed class was over.

-What is with you? – He asked her. – You've been weird all day, Sophia.

-Is something worrying you? – Mary asked concerned. – You didn't look well during History class, Sophia.

-Um… - Sophia was recovering from speechlessness.

-You haven't been taking notes at all today, Sophia. – Tom continued; his smile was not present in his face and that was quite unusual.

-I'm fine. – She replied sounding void.

-You don't look fine, Sophia. – Alice insisted. – You know you can tell us anything, right? We're your friends.

-Exactly, Vice-president. – President said, still with his eyes closed. – If you're not feeling well, you may miss today's Council meeting. However, the Fall Festival is approaching and we're counting on you for planning. But if you're not feeling well, let us know with time.

-I'm fine, President. – She put on a fake smile and expression. – I must be lacking sleep. I went to bed pretty late. But I'm fine, really. – She made her smile wider in hopes of making it seem more convincing. – I'm looking forward to the festival, too.

-W-Well, if you say so… - President said with a hand on his chin, obviously not convinced; nobody was convinced.

Jack was still occupying his seat as well. He remained silent most of the time anyways, but Alice glared daggers at him, beckoning that he should say something too. However, he couldn't think of anything to say to her. His ears listened keenly to the Council members and the Vice-president. He, too, was not convinced she was alright.

She knew they'd only insist more, so Sophia excused herself and took her books to leave. Nonetheless, before she could leave, a bespectacled student from a lower grade came in. She was sweaty and her breathing was ragged. Everyone deducted she had ran hastily to their classroom.

-I'm glad you're still here, Vice-president White. – She said while looking at Sophia. – I was told to hurry here to get you to the Superintendent's office. Ms. Superintendent said it was urgent.

Sophia raised an eyebrow. She thanked the bespectacled girl before heading straight to Superintendent Ashford's office.

Milly Ashford's office and reception room were redecorated every year. As long as she could remember, the reception room had always had a similar image. The most noticeable pattern was that the walls were always painted with different tonalities of pink.

Currently, the floor's tiles were white and the walls were salmon pink. The furniture was made of black wood. There were several vases with different flowers adorning and the room, mostly yellow daisies. The room looked very lively thanks to the flowers and the good amount of light that entered through the windows.

-Ms. White, please come in. – The secretary called.

Sophia twirled one of the doorknobs of the two doors of light-colored wood that separated her from Superintendent's office.

Superintendent's office was a little different from the reception room. The only flower found was a single red rose. It was at a corner of her big desk inside a beautiful crystal vase with diamonds incrusted in its surface. It shone nicely with the light coming from the two large windows at the side walls, which were painted with a color that resembled melon. The floor tiles were the same, but mostly covered with red rugs. At the center, there was a glass coffee table and a set of beige couches.

Facing Superintendent, who drank coffee with an uncharacteristically solemn face, two men she recognized immediately sat.

Sophia's violet eyes were astounded momentarily. She managed to mask her expressions right away. She still gritted her teeth. She had enough dealing with those people at the monthly dances; she did not like the idea of also having to act for them in school.

One was a tall blond man with dark brown eyes. His expression was cold and his features rough. Even the way he sat straight reflected his strict self-discipline. Perhaps he would have been handsome if he had lived a different education. He wore the uniform high ranking officers wore in the militia. In fact, he had the highest military rank in Britannia.

The other was only of medium-height, shorter than her, had purple hair, yellowish-green eyes behind glasses and a clearly mad expression. He wore a suit that was one of a kind. Other than his black cape and shoes, everything else he wore was white.

-We've been waiting, Your Highness. – The first to be described stated with a voice most people found intimidating.

-What took you so long? – The other one demanded.

-I did not expect to see you here, Mr. Wellington, Jonathan. What brings you both here? – She greeted coldly; she was one of the few who were not scared of the blond man and she definitely wasn't scared of the purple-haired.

One stared dangerously into her eyes and she returned the glare, refusing to let him intimidate her. She knew he did not think highly of her and she personally thought he was Schneizel's puppet rather than his right-hand. At least, she could always make him angry by not addressing him by his proper title as the Marshal of the Britannian Army, Marshall Wellington. _Seriously, who the heck wants to be addressed as 'Marshal Marshall Wellington'?_ – She always thought each time she saw him.

The second one glared daggers at her, but his glares, in her opinion, were even less scary than the ones of some children. He himself actually looked younger than her; he hated to be reminded he was baby-faced. He hated the fact that the Princess showed no respect to him whatsoever when addressing him by his given name without even the title of 'Mister'. Many times, he asked her to call him 'Mr. Lewis', telling her he deserved some respect as the royal counselor and the King's right hand, though, in reality, Marshal Wellington was considered the owner of that title. Her reply would always be scoffing and a 'You actually sound adorable when begging, Jonathan'. The memory alone made him scowl even more noticeably.

-What brings us here? – Jonathan repeated upset; she had hit the exact button with her question. – How about this? – He asked before throwing her a newspaper rudely.

Sophia didn't have the best reflexes, but she still caught the newspaper easily. She would've told him he threw like a girl, but the seriousness of the atmosphere, which even infected cheerful Superintendent, called for her to assume another attitude.

She didn't bother looking at his face before the _bold_ headline on the paper she held called her attention. It read "Britannia's Princess, Targeted!" She read on:

_This early morning, a limousine was found in a crash scene with an unidentified black van. The limousine was soon identified as Princess Sophia vi Britannia's private vehicle. Princess Sophia was being transported to an unknown location after retiring from Pendragon Palace's monthly ball for nobility sometime after midnight._

_The reports in the vehicle suggest the crash was intentionally provoked by causing the brakes to fail. The identity of the offenders that targeted the Princess is yet to be confirmed._

_The authorities are currently investigating the scene. There are no traces of blood on the back of the vehicle, but the large amount of blood found inside the limousine's driver's compartment was at first believed to belong to Princess Sophia. This was later confirmed false._

_Britannia's King, Schneizel el Britannia, was notified hours later. The Pendragon Palace merely replied that the Princess was safe and sound in a disclosed location. _

_While neither the Princess nor the King have made a public appearance since, it is known the Princess miraculously sustained no injuries. _

A large picture of the crashed limousine was shown below. How could anyone take that picture? How did they know it was transporting her? Had paparazzi followed her? The press was smooth for covering the fact that the crashed vehicle was not just found, but that she had been followed. She thought she could avoid anyone finding out she studied at Ashford Academy by leaving earlier than the rest and by the back… Apparently, it wasn't enough.

-Your Highness, an explanation from your part is demanded. – Marshal Wellington spoke. - Why did you not contact the Palace afterwards?

-I merely didn't because I was tired. – She replied.

-Who do you think you are to make His Majesty, the King worry? Had your maid not contacted us, who knows what would've happened with the King's agenda! He would've worried and canceled his appointments merely because you 'were tired'! – Jonathan Lewis shouted.

Sophia suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at him. He was really annoying when mad. She wanted to punch his face for mentioning Schneizel to her. Please! Schneizel worrying about her? What a measly joke. But she had to remain serious because of the Marshal's stare.

-That excuse will not do! Do you know how shameful this is? We are the strongest empire in the world! We have made every single insignificant human succumb to us! And you, our _princess_, a symbol of our nation, were targeted and everyone in the country knows it! – Jonathan exclaimed.

She gritted her teeth and closed her fists tightly at her side, which did not escape Superintendent Ashford's notice.

Sophia wanted to choke him for so bluntly taking pride in the massacre their sadistic nation was causing all over the globe, but she knew that wouldn't happen. She knew she had no choice but to take it. _I'm doomed to a lifetime of this… In the end, I do not have a chance to fight back… Schneizel… Will I ever be free from his control? Was it all just a dream?_

-In any case, we need you to provide us with whatever you know about the offenders, Your Highness. – Wellington continued as if he hadn't heard anything.

Then, the Marshal handed her a paper in a much more civilized manner than Jonathan's anger did.

She sighed softly. This edition had come out later in the same day. The heading read in capitals and bold printing "Mafia Group Commits Massive Suicide! Baron's Body Found in River!" A couple of pictures below showed the body of Baron Carlson and a group of corpses that showed the mafiosos she had encountered last night. She was not given time by Marshal Wellington to read the article.

-Members of the most threatening mafia group in the city were found dead close to the river where Baron Carlson's body was found. – He summarized. - The research team states the only cause of death was suicide. The bullets they used matched the ones found in the Baron's body. While there were no visual witnesses of either incidents, there are people who signaled they heard gunshots on a specific alleyway that was fairly close to where your vehicle crashed. It is believed that is where the Baron was murdered. Traces of blood were found in a wall, and they did not belong to Baron Carlson. Tests showed it matched the blood in the driver's compartment of the limousine. – He made it clear he believed both incidents were related.

Sophia barely paid attention to the man's rough voice despite the gravity of what he implied.

She looked at the mafiosos' faces. She recognized them. She had ordered them to kill Baron Carlson and throw him into a river; they had followed her orders to the letter. But that'd mean that she was not dreaming! She glanced more carefully at the picture of the first newspaper. There was a large puddle of blood in the driver's compartment. The blood belonged to Z.Z. Why hadn't she picked that up from the text alone…? Had the events of last night, then, not been a dream?

She felt as if reality had slapped her hard with that picture. _Of course it happened. Why was I even trying to say nothing happened last night? Was I denying events? Why…? I want to bring Schneizel down! How could I hesitate even for a moment? _- She berated herself.

-Then, Marshal Wellington, whose help would you assume I could've received at such late hours and with the driver dead? – She asked, showing a slight grin and a radical change in her expression as confidence increased, now that she knew she had a chance…

Marshall Wellington looked slightly surprised that she had addressed him properly, but he immediately recovered.

-Your assigned driver told us that, for the past month, someone else told him it was mandated that he replaced him. The driver told us he did not doubt him because he had a royal insignia. Whoever drove you for the past month was a usurper, Your Highness.

Sophia narrowed her eyes, very interested in the information her ears were receiving.

_Z.Z. has a royal insignia? Just who in the world is he? _– She wondered.

-I'm afraid I never even saw his face. – She lied. – But who cares? The driver is dead at this point. As for the details, there really is not much information I can provide. The seatbelt saved me from suffering severe injuries. The driver was dead. I saw his head against the wheel and the blood. I touched him to make sure he was dead and got some blood on me. I tried walking here from that point as I was not injured, but I was confused about the events and that caused me to get lost. It was pretty dark too. I heard the gunshots nearby too. I hid in an alleyway. That is how I must have gotten blood on that wall. I remained there, and the mafiosos did not notice me. I saw a body I did not recognize at the moment, and I saw them taking him somewhere else. They were heading in the direction of the river, actually.

-You expect us to believe that? – Jonathan exclaimed. – That is barely believable!

-Give me a good reason why I would lie to help the ones that tried to kill me, Jonathan. – She retaliated with the grinning eyes that he despised.

Wellington examined her every feature. He was very well-trained to detect lies, but she had faith in her poker face. While chess required a much higher intellect than poker, every game asked to mask your thoughts from your opponent.

In the glaring game, Sophia was the winner as Wellington bought her story, so could she tell by his facial gestures.

-I don't care about that anyways! – The royal counselor hissed. – All of Britannia knows of this! This does not change the fact that you are a shame as a Princess! You still being part of nobility is merely an act of pity from His Majesty! You and the haughty countenance you show in his presence are obviously false! You are a hypocrite liar! I have no idea who you think you are but you should be exiled! To think you could be the one to inherit our empire's throne is outrage! What kind of Princess brings thus embarrassment to the Palace? Oh, it would've been better if you had died last night! – Jonathan shouted.

Marshal Marshall Wellington raised an eyebrow at the royal counselor. Raising an eyebrow was all he did after listening to someone telling the Britannian Princess those words. To him it was, most likely, nothing more than a statement he did not care about.

Milly Ashford, who had been listening with wrath all the while to those two men, looked up from her cup of coffee and stared in disbelief at that purple-haired man. She couldn't believe anyone could muster the inhumanity to say such words out loud, never mind shouting them.

Sophia returned the stare he directed at her, it was supposed to be menacing, but she was used to them. In her eyes, they were only attempts to look threatening.

Her reaction was to push her humanity aside and do the unthinkable after being told such words. She put on a smile.

That reaction was what caused Wellington to finally look shocked. Milly was observing her student with keen interest, and Jonathan Lewis's 'menacing' expression went frightened. She had not said a word yet; all she needed to make him gulp was to grin.

She proceeded to take a seat at an individual couch since she had been standing all the while. Her movements were gracious and elegant. Arguably, that characteristic alone would never let her qualify to be tomboy.

She crossed her leg and supported her head with her left hand against the side of her forehead.

-It's funny you mention that. I myself feel that my life as the Princess of the Holy Empire of Britannia, Sophia vi Britannia, has changed since last night. I feel I'm about to take a different course because of tonight alone, and something tells me Britannia will also take a new course soon. Isn't that exciting, dear Jonathan?

The two men were at a loss about what she meant. More alarmingly, they sensed a highly threatening aura coming from her that instant. It momentarily looked as if darkness surrounded her figure.

While they felt that way, Superintendent Ashford grinned. She was proud of her student for shutting them up. She then stood up and clapped her hands as to turn the attention to her.

-Well, gentleman, I said I'd let you talk to her for ten minutes. The 10 minutes are over already. I have other business to take care of and so does the Vice-president. – She said smiling.

-We've been ordered to escort her for a medical check-up. – Wellington stated. – The royal medical team is ready to receive her.

-I'm fine, Mr. Wellington; I have a Council meeting to attend to. – Sophia defied and he reacted as if defiance was poison to him.

-His Majesty himself has given us direct orders. You have no choice but to comply with them, Your Highness.

Sophia growled softly. She hated Schneizel for interfering with her life in a non-dance day (more than she already did).

She was escorted in a brand new limousine to the Pendragon Palace, where her medical check-up could be discreet. She did not like the idea of going to that place other than for the monthly balls. That place did not give her sweet memories.

She was greeted by a horde of endless servants and then by a horde of people in white coats, suggesting they were the medical team.

She sighed. This was a ridiculous overreaction. She was not even hurt, yet she was receiving the attention of an entire hospital's worth of personnel. It was even more enraging to see that when she did not ignore that the people in the old section of the city called Shinjuku Ghetto, which looked more like ruins than an inhabited place, did not receive any medical support whatsoever.

The check-up was over after fifteen minutes. She was already late for the council meeting.

Then, before she could exit that place, the man whose image she dreaded the most appeared right in front of her and put his hands over her shoulders.

-My dear Sophia! - He called in an exaggerated manner. – I'm truly relieved you are fine! I was very worried about you. I'm glad you came; I wanted to see you.

_You wanted to see me, yet you forced me here to come to you? Shouldn't it be like…Backwards?_ – She thought annoyed while wearing a mask of calmness.

-I see I have troubled you, Uncle. I appreciate the concern.

_Not. _– She complemented inwardly.

-I'm indeed rejoiced you are uninjured. – He touched her cheek and looked straight into her eyes. - I don't know what I would've done if I had lost you… To think that last night could've been the last dance for you is heart-breaking.

_Oh, give me a break!_ – She urged inside. - _You don't even care about me for real! Can't you even spare me all this drama?_

-Somehow, I am glad I told you last night what I had not told you before. – Schneizel continued. – When I heard about it all, I felt my heart being pierced. To lose you would be like losing everything I have. Sophia, you are, after all, my family.

-Your words are flattering, Your Highness. We are indeed related.

…_Much to my disgrace and mental torture…But I'll never consider you family. The only ones who were my true family were my brother and my parents. You have not just made me miserable, you have destroyed each of the people that have cared for me and whom I've loved._

-For his family, a man should do anything. – He continued with the hypocrisy she despised. – Your health matters to me, my dear Sophia. That is why I would never hesitate to gather a medical team as large as a district.

-Well, this does look like you deprived Shinjuku Ghetto's district from medical teams.

Schneizel's face nearly distorted for a second. He only raised an eyebrow and stared at her without his hypocrite smile.

_I SAID THAT OUT LOUD?_ – Sophia bellowed inwardly.

This was a first. No matter how much she cursed her uncle in thought, it had never leaked out like it just had; she had never dared because she knew she was powerless against him. Truth was she just couldn't contain herself. The sight of him made her want to punch him hard. She didn't have such a strong desire to do so before. Her newly recalled past was driving her neutral facial mask beyond its limits. Her contempt against him had increased exponentially. Now that she knew she had one weapon she could use to her advantage, it appeared her courage had come forth.

Even so, Sophia's eyes could not help showing she herself was baffled at her own mouth. She bit her lip while her fists were closed tightly at her side, crumpling the fabric of her uniform's skirt.

-Sophia, I know you have been through a lot since tonight, so I will forgive you this time. – He stated haughtily. – This experience will hopefully not be a trauma to you. You must never forget you are this country's princess, Sophia vi Britannia. Yes, you belong to this nation. You must not fall and become weak out of foolish pity. That is an order as your King and ruler.

Sophia gritted her teeth. He had just reminded her of _everything_ she hated to be reminded of. She did not reply with words, nods or any movement at all.

-Answer to your King, Sophia. – Schneizel said with a deadly low tone.

She looked into his eyes and even her bloodstream paralyzed at what she saw. That was his true face. This was the true Schneizel el Britannia, which only Lelouch Lamperouge had known firsthand before.

-Yes… - She softly spoke.

-Yes, what? – He pressed while leaning closer to her, bringing those light blue daggers dangerously close to her.

-Yes…Your Majesty. – She stuttered.

Sophia was trembling, but not with fear. She could hardly contain her anger and contempt. She wanted to throw him a fist. She wanted to choke him. She wanted to stab him a hundred times. She wanted to make him feel the misery he made her feel for the last nine years of her existence.

Schneizel grinned in merciless satisfaction at how easy it was to impose his superiority on her.

He spared her a last glance, haughty and full of pity, before turning on his heel, walking away and slowly disappearing. That glance was mocking her, reminding her yet again he was the master of her soul and how she would never stand a chance against him, that she was a minuscule and insignificant creature in comparison to the greatness and power he had, that her destiny was to always look up at him.

She hated to recall she was this sadistic country's princess. She hated to recall she was doomed to be in that palace for the rest of her life. She hated to recall whom she was supposed to be, a despicable noble; simply being a noble made her a symbol of all the suffering of Elevens, formerly called Japanese, caused by Britannia. But overall, she hated, cried and dreaded the fact that he was her ruler and she was below him, a mere pawn who was so insignificant she'd never constitute a threat to him, and that was the way things would be until the he took his last breath, an event she could not look forward to because it was nowhere close to the present… But everything was different since the night before! That would no longer be the case for her!

Her new power was a small white light in her life filled with darkness and without hope for anything better. It was a chance to make her wish of defeating her uncle and reuniting with her brother a plausible reality. Overall, it gave her the chance of a new future. While that future was uncertain, intricate and unintelligible, it was still different than what Schneizel had sentenced her for. Anything was better; anything else should be better. She wanted something different for her life. She wanted to be someone else than the Princess of the Holy Empire of Britannia. For the past nine years of her life, the only ones she remembered until last night, she had longed for freedom and this was it, the path full of risks and sacrifices that would lead her to it. Between that torturous road, as Z.Z. described, 'filled with thorns, poison and pain, which will not allow her to rest and will make her carry great burdens chained to her', which would give her a new unknown future with the freedom she could only dream of before, and the path Schneizel had imposed on her that would lead her to a different kind of torture, she chose the torturous one.

_Even if chances are slight, that small white light in the form of my Geass is the only way I can fight for my dream and my true wish, the only way I can free myself from the fate I was given by Schneizel! So I will cling on to it as I cling on to my own life. No matter what I must sacrifice, I must fight and not hesitate one second. I will not be the person Schneizel el Britannia has chosen me to be; I will become whoever __I__ want to become!_

To get to the nearest exit, it was necessary to pass by an entrance to the throne room, which was empty at the moment. She glanced at it, turned her head to get a better view and finally entered.

There at the back was what was considered the world's most magnificent throne. Its reputation was not a hyperbole; it really was something else. That throne was relatively new. Approximately 5 years after Schneizel el Britannia became Britannia's 100th King, the old throne was destroyed a new one replaced it. The new throne was made of solid gold, had very fine details carved by Britannia's most talented artists and several gemstones and white gold incrusted in it, and the fabric that covered most of the seat was crimson, like blood.

She walked closer to the throne until she was just below the stairs that led to it. Those stairs elevated it to a height that beckoned the superiority of the King over all other beings. He was the King and the rest were pawns.

Nearly two decades ago, that place had a different throne with a very different ruler sitting in it. The 99th ruler of Britannia became the epitome of dictatorship in a short period of time, but Sophia was no longer ignorant of who that man really was.

_I've been arguing with myself whether or not I can do what Lelouch vi Britannia…Lelouch Lamperouge did. Can I sacrifice what he sacrificed? Can I be a threat to Schneizel and a light of hope to the world like he was? I am not my father, but I know that he would expect me to try if he knew what I am facing… My father didn't know either if he would succeed, but he was triumphant in the end. He never hesitated or doubted himself… I do not know where my parents are, but I must not let that hinder me. I still have Shiro. I just know he must be alive, somewhere. Shiro, I promise you I'll find you and we will be together again… I promise I'll find our family!_

She made a pause in her thoughts when she heard footfalls echoing in the throne room. She hastily turned around and met the eyes she least expected to meet at that instant and that place.

There stood the young-looking man she had looked for all day at the Academy grounds. His fire red hair shone vibrantly under the light of the chandelier that was lit a dozen meters above their heads. His ocean blue eyes looked at her with still protected, so she couldn't see inside him. There was an imaginary barrier in them that he never seemed to take off. His features were far more attractive and beautiful than the expensive throne behind them. At least, to her eyes that was the case. She had not processed before just how handsome he was. While he appeared no older than nineteen, the seriousness he wore in front of her was not the kind a 19-year-old could accomplish unless he had gone through special circumstances that forced him to mature before time.

They stared at each other for a silent while. She never knew how long their staring lasted.

-I gave you an entire day to think about things, Snow. – He began. – I cannot give you any more time; I need you to make a decision this instant. What will you do now?

His question flipped a switch in her. She blinked a second. She closed amazed eyes to reveal determined ones afterwards. Z.Z. narrowed his eyes as he noted the change in her overall face. She looked like a completely different person, confident and with almost tangible resolution.

-What else would I do if not what I said I would? – She asked.

-You lacked the resolution to do it this early morning. Your past was confusing you, and several doubts assaulted your soul.

-I am still to catch up to all of the memories I remembered, Z.Z. – She clarified. – However, I simply needed to remember the reason I accepted our contract in the beginning. I intend to go by it. I will not fold or hesitate again.

-Do you believe you have given enough thoughts as to what you are in truth signing up for?

-A battle, of course. – She replied firm. – A road of struggle like no other, I know that.

-And do you think yourself ready to walk in it? Are you prepared to give up the life you currently have, not only as a noble, but all of what composes it?

She knew well what he meant. She was no longer going to be who she was that moment if she accepted. Not only would her life as noble change, her relationship with her friends, the Student Council, Andrea and Superintendent, would never be the same. She was resigning both to her chosen life as Princess and the days in which she could just sit at Council meetings, eat pizza with everyone, roll her eyes at Mary's obvious feelings for clueless Mike, laugh at Alice hitting President, wonder about whatever crosses Tom's thoughts since he always smiles, attend to illegal activities with Jacob, think of the mystery Superintendent is and be woken up roughly in the mornings by Andrea… While she was still going to do all of the above, it was not going to be the same, and she was accepting that, at some point, she could have no choice but to quit it all, just like her father had to at some point too. Was she prepared?

-I am. – She replied.

Z.Z. did not ask her again or even doubt her answer. Seeing how her eyes were reluctant to back off on her words was enough for him.

-This path will not be easy, Snow vi Britannia. If you have found your resolve, then tell me: What will you do to get where you want? – He asked her another question.

-I will do and sacrifice anything and as much as I must. I will revive the threat my father constituted to this corrupt empire! I will bring back to life the hope the rest of the people once felt! I will make this palace in which we are standing fall to the ground to remain as ruins forever! I will become Schneizel el Britannia's worst nightmare! I WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN!


	3. Game Start

Thanks to Shadow Zeranion and benihime666 for alerting this story, to FearWolfXZ for favoriting and Crystal for thoughtfully reviewing. Thank you very much for your patience too. For more information about chloroform, visit Wikipedia.

Warning: This chapter contains explicit descriptions of violence and injuries.

Translation notes:

Sempai = Term of respect used to address those that are considered at a higher level than them, commonly, upperclassmen or coworkers that have more time and experience than them.

Nippon Banzai = Long Live Japan

Kanpai = Cheers

Oi = An expression similar to 'Hey', used to call one's attention. Not polite.

Information note:

'A Knight in the rim is grim' is a common expression used in chess to express how advantageous and valuable it is as a piece. Another version of this phrase is 'a Knight in the rim is dim'.

STAGE 3

**Game Start**

Z.Z. merely nodded at her powerful words, accepting her answer as satisfactory and acknowledging she had made her resolution clear.

-Resolution is essential for you, so do not lose it again, Snow. – He said gravely.

-I have my resolve clear. – Snow reassured.

-It would've been disappointing if you didn't. – He replied straightforwardly before looking another way. – We should get going.

She nodded and proceeded to walk at his side. Although the Student Council meeting was probably soon to end, she definitely didn't want to stay there, at that palace that was originally named something else.

Around eight years ago, it was renamed after the original Pendragon Palace in Britannia that no longer existed, when that palace, which originally served as an embassy home, became the home of Britannia's King. A big scandal was made because the King had moved to live in the United States of Japan, which soon afterwards was forced to readopt its former name, Area 11. That area's resistance and rebelliousness that refused to let their country and people be denominated as 'Elevens' again, was, unfortunately, very feeble to impede Britannia's imminent victory. The King moving there was a gambit to instill fear and order himself, as well as strengthening their military bases with his aid in commandment.

It was a matter of months before all resistances subsided, and a grim somber atmosphere reminiscent of the days of Lelouch vi Britannia's reign governed Area 11. As a result, aristocracy became more abundant right before it reached the peek of extinction in that part of the world.

Whereupon, although the King returned to perform his duties mainly in Britannia, he came for an average of four days every month to offer a dance gathering for nobility and discuss with politicians about the most relevant events happening. While Sophia hated being dragged there, she still thought it was a good thing he was abroad most of the time.

This was the second time she walked beside Z.Z. but the first she felt slightly awkward at his side. She had learned in the past hours he had lived in the palace they were exiting, that he had authority as to get her assigned driver to let him take his place and that he had a royal insignia. He was an enigma.

She turned to look at him while walking. Only then did she notice he still wore his chauffeur attire under a gray light coat that reached his knees. She inferred he wore it to cover the blood that stained his clothes. She couldn't believe he had not changed from those bloody clothes yet. Moreover, he didn't look bothered about it at all.

_Something about him is different from other people… Z.Z., who is he? What is his story? (…) It's strange but, his presence, just when he arrived, felt…Relieving. Z.Z. is not my chauffeur anymore. He no longer hides his appearance from me, he no longer speaks formally to me, and he shall no longer call me 'Lady Sophia'…_

They finally reached the exit. Sophia frowned when she noted the new white limousine was not there and turned to Z.Z., who looked just as confused about it.

Suddenly, four brawny men with serious faces dressed as servants stood behind them and pressed the tips of their hidden guns against each of their backs.

-Don't dare scream. – One of the men whispered to her ear.

Sophia scowled deeply and gritted her teeth. The man's breath against her neck was a disgusting sensation. She was about to turn her head to use her Geass.

-Don't turn your head either, Princess. – He menaced.

Sophia heard the click of a gun right behind her. That was also part of the threat. She growled inwardly before turning to Z.Z. with the corner of her right eye. He looked calm, as expected of him. Though expected, she still felt that was an enviable trait, a trait she would have to earn too someday.

-What do you want? – Sophia asked straightforwardly, trying to keep her countenance imperturbable.

-We'll go slowly, Your Highness. – Her captor grinned. – First of all, you and your servant will walk slowly towards the gate. Don't think of doing anything funny in the way.

Sophia exhaled her rage as if to keep it from invading her plastered expression. This was definitely not her day. Z.Z. could be shot and would revive, so he was fine, but she wasn't. She thought of inciting Z.Z.'s captor to shot him in order to gain a single chance to turn her head and take control of things, but that would call for too much attention inside the palace. While that is usually wanted by people whose lives are at stake, she was not sure if she'd be able to hide her Geass from Schneizel, and she could not afford to lose her one advantage over him. She had no choice but to do as told. If she could wait until they were outside the entrance's gates, she would at least be able to run for it afterwards.

She and Z.Z. walked, following two of the men while the other two were behind with the guns threatening them. To anyone passing by, the men were mere servants escorting their Princess.

At the gate was a limousine waiting for her, not the same one that had brought her to the palace but a different one.

A man dressed as chauffeur opened the door for them to keep appearances.

Sophia was sure this was her chance, but then she only saw a glimpse of gray covering her sight. She frowned as she felt the man tying the cloth behind her head without delicacy.

-Get inside. – They were told.

Her eyes were covered to make sure she didn't see whoever was inside. Little did they know they were impeding her to do something else…

Though blind, she was not deaf. She heard two clicks, distinctive of guns' locks. Sophia's back was freed from the menace of receiving a bullet only to be in the same position inside the vehicle. The door was closed and the limousine began driving.

Relying in her other senses, she figured Z.Z. sat next to her. He probably looked serene, as if he couldn't care less. She also figured there were another 3 people besides them two breathing, sitting in front of them. She had heard two guns click. Most likely, there were two men pointing the guns towards her and Z.Z. But then, there was someone else. It was only logical to think that someone else was important among the group of kidnappers.

Sophia's anxiety was too scarce to affect her. After all, she was slightly used to guns; result that originated from her and Jack playing illegal chess with people rich enough to hire sinewy men with guns in a futile attempt to look intimidating.

Something had been bugging her for a while. Just how extraordinary was the coincidence that she was kidnapped the very day that she was actually in the palace, like a true princess? It was not very likely it was all a coincidence. She narrowed her eyes as she conjectured something in thoughts and decided she needed more evidence to be sure that was it.

-What do you want? – Sophia asked, hoping to get an answer this time.

-Straight to the point, aren't we, Your Highness? This was to be expected from you, though. – The man replied.

His voice sounded distorted with the help of some device; she could not use his voice to identify him. She, however, figured it belonged to a middle aged man. She growled inwardly but refused to give up; she still had other methods to use.

-Should I conclude from those words that your credence is you know me? – She asked.

-My credence, huh? – The distorted voice asked back. – Well, indeed, not much is known about you, Princess Sophia, but that does not mean you are a complete mystery either. For example, it is common knowledge that you're a hypocrite, especially in front of the King.

Sophia growled inwardly and gritted her teeth. Perhaps it was also common knowledge the mentioning of her uncle aggravated her. She was mad, but she didn't express it outwardly. Before she could reply snidely, he continued:

-You also are utterly uninvolved with the Empire's diplomacy and affairs, so you are idle, uninformed, uncultured. However, the most important thing in there is that that makes you unimportant. You are not a key in the militia and you are not even a Deputy Viceroy. Your nobility title alone has unarguably granted you quite a lot of privileges, but that is all you possess. – While Sophia was blindfolded, she somehow felt he had just formed grin, most likely, of a crooked nature. – However, despite having the title of Princess, you are, doubtlessly inferior…

Sophia clenched her teeth tighter than a moment ago. She knew already what he was going to say next. That was the last thing she needed to hear that moment. Yes, he definitely had to know; everyone that knew about it, when letting her know, would say those exact words. Hearing them before had caused her iterative disappointment. The memory alone was capable of causing her body to stiffen, but she masked her body's language by deliberately displaying other movements that were easier to catch by the eye, among those was playing with her hair and crossing her leg; because they were immediately noticeable, she knew the feint would distract the attention of whoever her capturer was such that he would not notice the more subtle tension in her muscles and posture.

She then frowned slightly as she noted a pause of silence was present; her captor had stopped talking. Only the vehicle's movement was audible in the atmosphere, which had become more solemn than a funeral in the blink of an eye, as a silent battle that involved none of the senses except keen, immaterial and superhuman perception unleashed. It was, belike, because he was studying her more gingerly to perceive even the slightest inkling that proved he had positively annoyed her, and that would give him a twisted sense of satisfaction his wide grin would reflect. She, nonetheless, remained composed. It took more than a mere pause that all kinds of people remotely familiar with the human mind, or even TV, know is a renowned technique for her make her give away what her soul truly felt.

Chess in illegal gambling did not only left her money and the ability to be formidable player even in real life situations, turning her into someone akin to a puppet master, someone who can play with other's thoughts, weaknesses and emotions to her advantage, it also gave her what could be compared to a poker face. She could remain neutral by controlling her own body language, something that had been quite helpful when containing herself in the presence of her uncle. And whenver she truly couldn't help doing something, she knew how to cover it without raising suspicion. Because of that, she was not about to show anxiety to her kidnapper right that instant. The sixth sense blindness had given her in compensation told her the man had bought her fake calmness, which might have not been the case, perhaps, had her suddenly somber eyes that debunked her unflappable persona wasn't present not been out of his sight. While that scene could be called a battle, it could also be considered a game.

After the grave pause was due, he continued:

-The puny blood running in you should have never been worthy of being in the King's presence, let alone sit at his side as Princess with the unfortunately not negligible possibility of occupying the Holy Empire of Britannia's throne… There is evidence, fortunately not negligible, suggesting the position you occupy, even if just for appearances, was never meant for you, a commoner.

He then paused again, though he didn't prolong it as much as last time, as if the pause would have an effect that would cause his words to sink in her mind; the pause was an act of intentional cruelty, which only ruthless men can act according to. At last, he went on:

-There are more people than you might imagine that have invested and looked for means for that research to be done. Should you become a threat even greater than this moment to take the throne, I can guarantee you no one will keep their eyes off the detectives. It has always been known you are different. Your infrequent appearances and your dissimulated annoyance during them are boldly blatant. It is not hard to imagine what your true origins must be like. The names of the parents to whom your birth is accredited to are names that never had much importance in nobility, not to mention there are several details that make them difficult to acknowledge as your true family. A lot of the attempts have been blocked one way or another, but, Your Highness, - He scoffed and his unpleasant chortle was heard. - I assure you your commoner history will be enough for you never to take the throne, perhaps even remove your title of royalty, the only thing you have had in your life. I can only imagine the King's limited mercy is deposited in you. Had your parents not died in the mysterious fire, you would be among the lowest ranking in royalty. But King Schneizel, out of mercy, adopted you and gave you everything you have; a pitiable creature you are, indeed.

It took every shred she had in herself to not jump towards the voice she heard and knee him in the stomach, punch his face and scream at him until his ears bled… Sophia's rage had reached a new dangerous level that pushed the limits of her keeping her countenance.

_That son of a bitch gave me nothing! He took everything away from me! HE TOOK EVERYTHING I HAD! _– She screamed in thoughts, infuriated, shaking, not breathing and containing her screams within her frame, a task she found harder that moment than ever before.

She had one closed hand on top of her other in her lap. Discreetly, she closed the hidden fist of hers very tightly. She didn't doubt her fingernails had left bloody marks in her palm.

For some unknown reason, anger always urges us to hit something, preferably the subject that is the cause of the anger, but sometimes we cannot do that, yet we still have the same urgency, so we hit something else, or we direct the damage towards ourselves and hold something so tight until we break it somehow. While violence is the most visible product of the action, the action itself hardly has any meaning. Violence is a mean our body uses for a single purpose: To cause us pain as the effect of the action's impact. As explained by the Third Law of Newton, someone lucky that got to live in a world in which Britannia was not yet what it was in the present, states that for every action there is a reaction of equal strength though in the opposite direction. While we humans try our best to avoid emotional pain, physical pain is a different kind with a different story. Pain addiction is not something unheard of, especially in emotionally unstable teenagers. As Sophia read once, the addiction those distorted people have is not to pain itself but to the endorphins that come along with it. Along with the many chemicals the brain releases, endorphins are allowed to flow freely whenever an injury or pain is inflicted and their function is that of pain killers, like morphine, and, like morphine, it can become an addiction. Sophia had understood the theory long ago, but it was until then that she had finally processed how much sense that really made.

One way or another involving endorphins, she managed to tone her wrath down. She was no longer filled with ire, but she was not calm either. At least, she was fine enough to think more carefully and have a bit less difficulty maintaining her serene façade standing.

The story the unidentified man told had been told or whispered countless times before while she was close enough to hear it but pretended to have defective hearing and walked on after accepting hypocrite and idiotically naïve grins from whoever was mocking her in the back, and she was supposed to accept them every time. While dealing with those really bored people was bothersome to no end, she didn't really care about their opinion of her; she merely had to play along that game all parties found annoying nevertheless played it without objections.

It was a fact she was not really a member of the high royalty by natural birth. The officially acknowledged story, though not acknowledged as the truth, begins where it is explained she and her brother became orphans when their parents, who were Viscounts in the nobility, died in a fire while vacationing in a house by the coast where the personnel of servants was limited, so of course it made sense the night the house in some mysterious way got on fire there were no witnesses. The wonderful King and Emperor, who considered the Viscount an unfortunate beloved brother, adopted his kids into the highest family in their bureaucracy and told them he was to be known as their uncle.

The rumor, on the other hand, stated the names of the Viscounts were used to cover the true names of their parents, who were in fact commoners, and that for some reason the King was convinced, trapped, as some patriotism fanatics argued, in a way that the wish to adopt those kids was implanted in him rather than being his true wish.

The rumor was ridiculous per se. Still, investigations by the desperate were made. No record of her or her brother being acknowledged as the Viscounts' offspring was found. It was debated that they had burnt into ashes in that fire. The case eventually became too hard to solve, or rather, it was so dangerous that nobody dared to dig any further openly. However, her brother's disappearance raised more questions. A select few of the bored ones started rumors that spread like the fire that had supposedly left her and her brother orphans, and Sophia had to endure them all.

Back then, she hardly spoke, deeply saddened and enraged at the same time. They had forced the only person she could really count on to leave her, and the reasons both her uncle and brother had had were beyond her understanding. That was all there was to that fictitious rumor, which had been brought to her face several times before with disdain.

The reason she hated that rumor was the bitter taste it used to leave in her. People imagined she'd be saddened to hear she could be a commoner. To them, that would be an authentic nightmare. However, that wasn't it for Sophia. It was disappointing that it was only a rumor and not the truth. She used to think that if it were true, then she'd be free; she'd be what she wanted to be for as long as she could remember. But that wasn't the reality. When reality is bitter, it tends to be cautious such that its shape is not to our liking and makes sure to be as cruel and unfair as possible. Her being Princess meant she was surrounded by immense things, but that was not the reality she wanted. To her, royalty was like a jail sentence, only that luxuries were allowed, as if to compensate for also having to go through the experience of having no voice as to whether or not to play the boring but nerve-racking game of being noble. The rumor never failed to remind her she was doomed to do that for her entire life, and that was depressing.

While it was basically a rumor and nothing solid to fundament it had been said or showed, a good amount of nobles sent among themselves an unwritten memo of applying that as a definite verdict. It wasn't surprising for Sophia vi Britannia to receive glares of contempt at monthly dances. She could tell many were fuming as they observed her and the King talk closely, jealous of her. _Helpless morons…If only you weren't so blind and so…Well, moronic, then maybe you'd be smart enough as to realize I would gladly give my seat to anyone who asks for it._ – She used to think sometimes.

Things, however, had a different flavor this one occasion. Then, Sophia realized it was because it was the first time she heard it with her real memories. The truth was no longer a mystery to her. Truth was that that rumor was, after all, just a rumor.

Before anything else could happen, the car stopped unexpectedly. They had reached their destiny, wherever that was.

She heard a door being opened at her side and felt a gun against her temple.

-Come out. – She was ordered.

She obeyed without resistance or anxiety. Behind her she knew another brawny man stood, who proceeded to tie her hands behind her.

She could make out the sound of the door of the vehicle's opposite side being opened as well. Her captor and Z.Z. were coming out from that side.

-Your Highness, - Her kidnapper began while standing in front of her. – We're here. Welcome to my place. I would give you a tour but you would not appreciate it with your blindfolds, I'm afraid.

Without any other words, she heard him walking away. The men behind her pointed a gun at the back of her head and pushed her as to let her know she had to walk forward and the gun that was against her temple was removed. She couldn't feel menace-free for even one second.

She imagined Z.Z. was in the same position as she heard footfalls less than two feet away from her right profile.

Sophia wanted to huff at the change in voice the boss of the lackeys had had. He had called her a hypocrite but he was clearly not any better than her.

Suddenly, she could feel no wind blowing, the air inside smelled of dust and dampness, she could hear the echoing of their steps and the scarce though unhelpful light that could pass through the cloth in front of her eyes had become even dimmer. They had just entered inside a structure. Other than that information, she had not the slightest idea of where they could be. She couldn't get an idea of their location judging by the time it took them to arrive. The time inside the limo seemed to have stopped from flowing. It could've been just 10 minutes or it could've been an hour. All she knew was that they were no longer at the palace. Although it was alright to cause a ruckus there, she knew it would be foolish to escape. Without her sight, she could not very well know how to get away from that place, where the exit was. She had no choice but to keep advancing deeper into the structure they were in, walking straight, turning right and left and going inside an elevator, which she guessed was going downwards, as she was instructed.

Meanwhile, not too far from them, final preparations were being made.

Surrounded by tall trees was a young tall man of Caucasian skin with dark gray hair in close shave style who wore old blue jeans, a red t-shirt under a black jacket and sneakers. He stood in deep thought with his eyes closed.

_I'm ready for this._ – He thought. – _I have no regrets. I must not fail. Today, I shall fight with all I've got. Father, Mother, I'll make you proud, even though you'll never know it was me who did this._

-Sempai! – A male voice called him from afar.

Len opened his eyelids and revealed his blue eyes before turning to a guy that ran in his direction. He looked much younger than him although their age difference was of one year. He had very short black, white skin, green eyes behind glasses and a smile plastered permanently in his face. His smile was the closest there was to innocence in the group. Still, to be in that group, one couldn't be all that innocent. He waited until the guy approached him.

-Everything's ready. – He informed while swiping the sweat off his forehead with his hand. – It's time for 'that'. – His smile widened.

-Another review of the plan strategy? – Len guessed, clueless as to whatever he meant.

-You forgot, Sempai? – The black-haired asked surprised. – Our toast?

-Ah, right! – He instantly recalled.

-Let's go, Sempai. – He grinned like the nice guy he was.

-Kotaro, for the last time already, just call me 'Len'! Even now, until the end, you keep calling me and Shiro 'sempai'.

-But… - Kotaro said coyly. – But you two are my sempai! Even now, until the end, I look up to you two! And to Okazaki – San! Even Kaya – San is amazing!

Len suppressed a chuckle.

-If she heard you calling her 'San' again, she'd kick you!

-Yeah… - Kotaro said softly, remembering all the bruises she had given him for that very reason before. – Kaya – San is scary.

Kotaro paused to muse while Len laughed. Although he was laughing, he definitely agreed with him. He doubted he'd ever meet another woman as intimidating, brutal, shameless and aphrodisiacal as Tsugimoto Kaya… Actually, he no longer doubted, he _knew_ it wouldn't happen. Chances of him meeting anyone new after that night were slim.

-Even though she always hits us, I'm still going to miss her. – Kotaro laughed shyly while rubbing his nape.

Len looked at him seriously. He didn't want him to say those things. He wanted to tell him he shouldn't think like that but didn't because he knew that would be hypocritical from his part. He was thinking the same way, after all. He admitted it hurt him to look at Kotaro the most. He was the youngest of the group, but a very brave boy who had become a man.

-Sempai, let's go toast with sake. – Kotaro said.

Len smiled and nodded.

They arrived at a camp in the forest. The counted members of the group, no more than twenty, were gathered there.

He had been avoiding most people there for more than two weeks now, except the other four pilots. Everyone else had been looking at the five of them with gloomy looks, as if trying to get as many sights of them as possible, before they could no longer get any. He didn't regret doing what he was about to do; he felt honored. But it still made him uncomfortable to receive those gazes, already mourning him and the others.

He and Kotaro walked to the center, where a beautiful blonde buxom woman in her early twenties, with dark brown eyes and her hair reaching her slim waist, wearing a tight white top with a revealing cleavage, short black shorts and black boots sat on top of a log. She had a sake cup from which she actively drank and served herself. She did not turn to look at Kotaro and Len.

-Wandering in memories of the good old days, Kaya? – Len joked with a smirk.

Kaya Tsugimoto turned to him with her trademark aggressive look.

-I'm not all that old, you moron! – She yelled before gulping down the remaining sake in her cup and serving herself yet more. – If you really consider me an elder, then how about some respect?

-You and respect don't mix. The only thing that you get along with is alcohol. – Len said bluntly.

Kotaro yelped nervously, like he did every time those two went at it like this, which was every time they were within 5 meters from each other.

-Sempai, why did you do that? She's going to kill you! – He waved his arms frantically.

-You brat! – Kaya threatened while standing up menacingly.

-Now, now! – Kotaro said unnerved. – Kaya – San, he's just joking…OUCH!

He could not say more and rubbed his head, where Kaya had just hit him.

-You kid are deep in my nerves already with your frigging 'San'! – She shouted at him in a very scary fashion, as always.

She drank up the rest of the sake bottle in one gulp and then threw it at Len, who merely evaded it casually.

-And you deny you're a drunkard?

-You… - Kaya hissed.

-I told you not to drink the whole bottle yourself, Kaya! – A man's voice called.

The trio turned to look at the two comers. One was a tall brown-haired man in his late twenties who, for a mysterious reason nobody knew, always had his eyes closed and wore brown denim pants, black shoes and a green jacket and the other was a much younger guy, slightly older-looking than Len, with black hair in a long shaggy style and very rare green eyes with golden sparkles, wearing jeans, a black sweater and black boots.

-Don't be a cheapskate, Syusuke! There is another bottle yet! – Kaya replied at the older looking man. – Besides, it's not like these kids are old enough to drink.

-Don't say that. – Syusuke said with a frown. – It's not about money, it's about your reflexes.

-She works better under the influence of alcohol. You already know that, Syusuke - San. – Len said.

Kaya growled but, as usual, was contained with Okazaki Syusuke. He was probably the only man who did not fear her.

Len turned to the other newcomer and grinned.

-Seems like I was not the only one who forgot about this. – He commented.

The green-eyed guy laughed.

-Yeah. Well, I think it's nice to do it. It will lift everyone's spirits up.

-I agree, Sempai! – Kotaro said excited.

-Sempai… You never changed, Kotaro.

-That's exactly what I was telling him. – Len expressed grinning. – I guess, he's hopeless, isn't he, Shiro?

-He is. – Shiro played along with a grin too.

-But you two are my sempai! – Kotaro exclaimed.

-Now, you two. – Syusuke told them with a friendly smile, ignoring the rowdy Kaya behind him yelling at him not to ignore her. – Stop picking on Kotaro – Kun already. I think he's earned it.

Everyone went silent for a minute, even Kaya. What they were about to do was what they considered their greatest mission yet.

Shiro proceeded to take out the sake cups and distributed them while Syusuke served the sake. Them five stood in the center while the rest of the members surrounded them, also holding a sake glass up.

-To a future worth fighting for. – Syusuke started.

-To freedom. – Kaya continued.

-To Britannia's destruction. – Shiro said next.

-To the example of Zero that led us here tonight. – Len expressed resolved.

-Nippon Banzai! – Kotaro exclaimed.

-KANPAI! – They all exclaimed in unison before drinking up.

It was insulting to be ordered around in the imperative tense, like a dog. Nevertheless, Sophia didn't let that get to her. Her mind was busy intently replaying what had been spoken inside the limousine. Her blinded eyes widened the second she realized something. _I must be stupid for not having caught that sooner._ – She mused.

After some minutes, she heard a door's creaking as it was being opened. They all gave a few steps inside the room.

-Stop walking. – She was ordered, and she complied.

Wherever they were intending to take her, they were finally there. Even more unexpectedly, the muscular bodyguard slid the weapon from her back all the way to her nape and then pressed her downwards. Sophia, a bit disoriented, had just discovered there was a chair behind her as she felt its hard wooden surface. Soon afterwards, she felt how the man was tying her already tied hands to the chair's back.

-Tired, Your Highness? – Her kidnapper asked with the voice Sophia was starting to find obnoxious.

-Do you plan on telling me what you want any time soon? – Sophia replied coolly.

-Patience is not among your virtues, Princess Sophia.

Before she could reply a word, something even more unexpected than the previous happened: She could see; the blindfold was taken off her.

Sophia was startled and, despite being good at masking her expressions, she couldn't hide so.

She looked around, scanning the room while moving nothing but her eyes. The room was dark. The walls had no windows. They were only lit dimly by a light bulb in the ceiling's center. It was not very tidy, but it didn't reek and there wasn't as much dust as expected of a place that had been abandoned for what she suspected was a long time. Like she had suspected, they were at an abandoned structure.

In front of her was a chair in which her kidnapper sat. She estimated he was of medium stature. His hair was blond and he wore a suit one could easily tell were more expensive than the limousine they had driven them here and a mask covered his entire face. The mask was simple, white and lacked decoration. Although he had his face covered, she knew he was grinning crookedly.

His arrogance was reflected even in the chair in which he sat, upholstered with velvet, made of fine mahogany and with arm supports, while hers was a simple old wooden chair without arm supports and with an uncomfortable backrest.

At the man's side stood a muscular man with a black suit. He wore sunglasses despite the insufficient lighting in the room. Sophia concluded he was one of the men that had brought her and Z.Z. there; the latter stood one meter to her right. Behind him was another man like the one that was behind her, also pointing a gun at Z.Z.

Sophia noted Z.Z. had been placed a blindfolded too, and still was. She didn't need to see his eyes, though, to know he was not feeling threatened, which made sense; none of this was a menace for him. She knew he was merely playing along because he knew that was not entirely the same for Sophia. _If I died, his wish wouldn't come true… Am I the only one that can grant him his wish, though? Just what is his wish…?_

Her train of thoughts was interrupted the second she took notice of something about the guard that held a gun against him; something very subtle, it was baffling she had even noticed it in the dim lighting, yet it was of such shock to her she even turned her face towards him in astonishment.

-Your servant should be the least of your worries, Princess. – Her kidnapper's distorted voice said; he had misunderstood the nature of Sophia's expression as worry.

Sophia directed her eyes towards him again. She was free to use her Geass now but she had to be selective as to when to use it. The men that pointed guns at her and Z.Z. would not be affected since their eyes were out of her sight's reach. She needed to be cautious about them. Not to mention her hands were tied to the chair. Also, the one detail she had just taken in was something she wanted her kidnapper to explain, which would be easier if he told her himself.

-We can have a civilized talk now that you can see, Princess. – The man began with what he possibly considered a joke. – You wanted to know what I wanted and that is all I'll tell you. Your Highness, unfortunately for you, your life has reached its end today. I want a lot of things, power, overall. You are just a tool that will help me step up, Princess. What I want from you is your death.

Sophia let her eyelids fall more, focusing in his words. She knew that visible reaction she had intentionally performed would encourage him to speak further. There was something she wanted him to say in specific.

He stood up from his chair and walked towards her, took her chin for her to look up at him, something she did not appreciate but resisted the urge to growl furiously at him. He then leaned towards her ear.

-Yes, Princess. You're dying today. – He whispered with a sadistic grin.

He laughed like a mentally unbalanced person, which he had to be in order to enjoy the sight of others suffering, anyways.

-If there is one thing we all agree upon is that power is both desired for the advantages it provides and hideous. You have never really done anything despicably cruel in you life to anybody; that is undeniable, yet you are the most despised person among nobility, more despised than the most deprived.

That said, he made a signal with his hand and a deafening gunshot was heard in the room.

Blood splattered in the nearest walls and a corpse fell forward. A puddle of blood grew continuously beneath it. All gazes of the room spared it a glance without giving it much importance or thought before turning back to the 'main event'.

Sophia narrowed her eyes, perfectly composed. Once again, like she had done with the Marshal of the Britannian Army and the Royal Counselor earlier, she showed indifference towards people the image of her own death. This time, it was accompanied by an idea of what it would look like, messy and unceremonious, courtesy of her kidnapper. And like the other two men, the masked man was taken aback by her undisturbed attitude; she didn't need to see his face to know that.

Perhaps the word 'death' per se had changed in meaning to her. She herself was responsible for a determined number of them already. Sophia knew she'd never see death the same way as before. Perhaps she was colder, perhaps she was more focused, perhaps she was evil or perhaps she was ruthless. That was a matter of personal opinion. In her opinion, she didn't care. If it was all for her greater purpose, she'd do anything, so she stated with the King's throne behind her. Funny she had a memory of Z.Z. while his corpse was next to her. But it wasn't as if that were a permanent loss; Z.Z. would come back to life, no doubt about it.

-You are disappointed, I presume. – Sophia showed him a sly grin to annoy the masked one, something she wouldn't have been able to do had she used her Geass on him; though, that was not the reason she was holding back. – You are intently focusing on my eyes right now, looking for traces of despair, fear, anything that tells you I'm just acting tough.

Her confident, affirmative voice only upset her kidnapper further. Sophia knew perfectly well the reason he had taken the blindfold off her was to see her eyes.

-You wanted to see me frightened and possibly cry disturbed at the sight of a human's death while scared, disgustingly weak and so vulnerable; maybe go as far as to feebly beg you to spare me in exchange for money or even a nobility title if I were naïve enough.

While Sophia did not sound mocking, her words alone were enough to make fun of him and her still present grin, intimidating and hardly human, did not help. The man in the white stiffened in ire. Sophia had just ruined what could've made his day and that felt good. She already had a fair idea of who that man was. He was someone that had gone as far as prepare all this setup for no other reason than seeing fear in her violet eyes, which she mostly showed neutral and uninterested; that was his ulterior motive. That proved the depth of his despise towards her was slightly above the average.

-There is one thing I don't understand, though. – Sophia began. – Why did you not do things this way before? When you…

-SHUT UP!

Sophia was interrupted by a slap in the face. Sophia growled softly and glared at him. Her patience had just run out.

A man slapping a woman in order to establish his own order, using such resources to avoid hearing something they don't like. _Weak and cowardly. How pathetic and unsightly._

Indeed, that man was the perfect example of an unbalanced person who starves for power he deeply knows he wouldn't even be capable of managing.

Sophia knew it was due time for her to use her Geass. The man that had shot Z. Z. had long joined the other at the back and the man pointing a gun at her nape would not dare shoot with the man he was supposed to guard being so close.

-You will die today! – The man exclaimed, oblivious to Sophia's thoughts planning _his_ end.

He then turned on his heel.

-Unfortunately for you, that will not happen. – She said as a bird was revealed in her left eye; its brightness was enhanced by the obscurity surrounding them.

He turned back to see her face again, an unwise movement on his part. She grinned as she knew the man would soon be manipulated by her and pay her back when the darkness invaded her sight yet again.

Her grin faded fast and completely. She was blindfolded again. She frowned and hissed. She had not taken into account the bodyguard would do that as soon as his boss turned away. She berated herself. To neglect a probable move did no good to her reputation as a chess player… Then again, she had just quite that early morning. Still, her quitting to illegal gambling by no means meant she would no longer use her skills. It was the opposite; she had signed up for a game that played for much more than money. Now, under those circumstances, she was in a pinch, and it was not precisely a pushover.

The man shook his head as he came back to consciousness, unaware of the stolen seconds of his memory.

He leaned again and whispered to her ear with notable anger.

-If you think I'll let you die as painlessly as your unlucky servant, think again. I'll give you hell slowly, brat, and you're going to regret not having fought for your life.

Without any other words, he heard him walk out of the room. He didn't see Sophia's subtle grin. That distorted voice of his was obnoxious but, at that range, the distortion proved insufficient. _I know who you are, man in the white mask…_

His lackeys followed like dogs. Once everyone was outside, she heard the door being locked before their footfall sounds suggested they were exiting. _Why are they leaving? Whatever torture he has for me, doesn't that sadistic fool want to see me in pain? _

-Z.Z., - Sophia called. – Untie me.

-Why should I? – He replied as he opened his blue eyes and stood up.

His already bloody clothes had become even bloodier. He looked at her with indifference, which, if she didn't sense with some sixth sense of her, she heard it in his voice.

-You are the one who kept your tactic for too long and, in the end, you did not get to play it in reality. Just why did you hold back, Snow?

-You don't pay much attention to details, do you, Z.Z.? – Sophia asked too calmly given her circumstances

-I will not untie you.

-Yes you will. – Sophia corrected. – If I die, your wish will not be granted.

-You are not the only one who can grant it. – He retaliated; his usually callous tone sounded somewhat blight with the unyielding attitude that opposed her, regardless of what she said.

-Is that resentment? – She grinned mockingly, though also in disbelief; she just never thought Z.Z. was the type to show, out of all emotions, rancor.

-I am not being resentful, Snow. – He replied without a trace of compassion. - Even if you were the only one who could grant my wish, I would only have to save you when you are in danger of dying. This situation is merely abduction. More importantly, should you act quizzical at a time like this?

-You're very stubborn, Z.Z. – Her undertone changed radically, becoming softer but still sharp.

Sophia noted without her grin fading, though her expression changed, and so did her grin's air. He could not see her eyes, but he knew what they looked like that moment. She had just accused him of resentment, but she was the one resenting him that particular time.

-Why do you keep setting up a barrier for me not to see what is inside of you? If you don't shield your eyes, you shield your voice tone. Just what are you hiding from me, Z.Z.?

-My inside is not all that interesting, Snow. – He replied.

Sophia noted his tone's coldness had gone down considerably. She only smiled inwardly. He had once been human and here was proof of that.

-Yet you hide it fervently. – She responded with the rebirth of her former playful and cunning grin.

A pause occurred but no awkwardness did. Sophia's expression remained static. Z.Z. still stood on the dark puddle of his own blood as her words sank in his thoughts. That annoyingly astute aspect of her was one of the reasons why he had chose her to be the granter of his wish and at the same time was one of the things, he learned that second, he did not like about her.

-Z.Z., you chose me for a reason. – She said with a sudden gravity in her voice, unknowing that she was in sync with his thoughts, and her grin finally vanished. – You know a good deal of my past and you're smart enough to know that my political position would not make this easier; you knew this before unlocking my Geass… You've been observing me. – She stated more softly. – The feeling I had in the limousine when you used to drive me back to the Academy and the sensation of being observed I felt at the recent nobility balls… That was you, every time, wasn't it? You even made sure to substitute the driver to have an excuse to be close to me. Now, I have no clue as to how you got your hands on a royal insignia, though this is not really the time to ask that. In fact, this is definitely not the time for this but the situation demands it… Z.Z., you wouldn't have gone through all that trouble if the people that could grant your wish were abundant.

Z.Z. could not traverse her words and simply stood there, listening. As if his silence could make her forget he was there! But what was he to say? Sophia, however, knew better than to expect an answer. At this point, it was crystal clear Z.Z. was a man of few words.

-Why does the situation demand it? – He asked her, surrendering, letting her win for now.

-For a moment, the smell of your blood confused me, but, no doubt about it now, they've released a specific gas in this room.

Z.Z.'s eyes widened a moment. She had been acting too unhurriedly for her circumstances. Her being capable of managing situations without showing vulnerability or pressure was another feature he had observed in her and which he had considered useful at that time. He didn't like that trait of hers much either.

-How do you know that? – He asked, only a bit skeptical.

-Chemistry books. – She explained coolly. – It makes sense they'd leave if they were going to fill this place with poisonous gas. In this case, this gas is slightly sweet. My best guess is chloroform. This room's temperature has been ascending since they left and that gas is fairly easy to evaporate. In small amounts, it should smell very sweet. Exposure can damage the central nervous system. I've breathed enough to start feeling dizzy and my head is starting to ache, which are signs of me having breathed an amount already. The reason you may not have noticed is because you are standing. This gas accumulates at the bottom of an unventilated area. There are no windows here. I caught a glimpse of ventilation windows, though those are probably what are introducing the gas here. I don't know if it has undergone prolonged storage. If that is the case, I doubt the nice people here added ethanol to stabilize it. If there were UV lights present in its storage along with oxygen, this gas could have been converted to phosgene, which is considered highly hazardous chemical warfare, although I doubt it since it doesn't smell like freshly cut grass, but then, I'm no expert in poisonous gases. Thinking of saving me just for the heck of it yet or are you convinced I am in danger of dying?

-Stop talking and hold your breath. – That was all there was to his verbal answer

Z.Z., unable to think of a rebuttal and not having a Chemistry book at hand proceeded to untie her with a slight disgruntled frown, characteristic of those that are defeated and know better than to fight back, perfectly aware they never stood a chance. Although he had been only her driver, he knew very well she was knowledgeable in many fields. Back then, it had seemed like a favorable thing. Now, he knew he didn't like that about her either… He didn't like many things about her, apparently.

The knots on her hands were complex and bothersome. He needed over three minutes to set her hands free. Sophia's despair was almost tangible. After all, she was neither fit nor a member of the swimming club.

She took the gray blindfold off her eyes and tried to stand up. Then, Z.Z. knew she was not lying about her dizziness just to exaggerate things. She plopped roughhewn over the chair again. She was trying not to throw up and the heat of the room did not help.

Z.Z. proceeded to force open the door by throwing a kick to it but he could not get it to open. He himself was starting to feel a slight headache, like Sophia had mentioned previously, and began holding his breath as well.

Sophia, meanwhile, watched him. His kick had not been half bad. She would've arched an eyebrow if it hadn't seemed like too much work then. Unlike her, he seemed to be in good shape, better than her, at least.

Four minutes total had ticked by. Holding her breath so long was not doing wonders for her spinning head. She had taken off her blazer but her skin was still shiny with some sweat. She was no longer blindfolded and now she willingly squeezed her eyes shut every few seconds.

The eyebrow she did not lift earlier was lifted that second along with its pair as she saw Z.Z. lifting her kidnapper's disposable chair of about 3,000,000 Britannian pounds in worth and around 30 kilograms in weight. She thought him lifting it by himself was interesting. Him swinging it against the door like a bat was impressive, to think the least.

Only God and her almost murderers knew what that door was made of to have survived the swinging of such an object. Z.Z. immediately let go of it. What he had done made him break more than one sweat, and it was actually good to know he was capable of so.

Sophia then thought of an idea and concluded her head was being affected severely for not having thought of that earlier.

She reached inside her blazer's pocket and grabbed a metallic hair pin with a white rhinestones flower. Andrea would always sneak it in her uniform in the futile hope of her using it… 'Yeah, right' was what she used to think. _Seems like I'll finally make you proud, Andrea. _She snapped her fingers to draw his attention and then extended her arm for him to grab the hair pin.

He arched an eyebrow at her. Was the oldest of school tricks, after the excuse involving a dog and delicious homework, going to save them?

'It's worth the try.' So her eyes read. Well, it wasn't as if he had any better ideas.

But before he could proceed, her grimacing told him she was at her limit. He frowned. Her face looked pallid and unwell. She needed air badly. So he decided to give it to her.

He placed both his hands on her hot cheeks. She half opened one eye in curiosity while still grimacing right before his lips touched hers and opened them to give her air. Both her eyes opened widely in surprise but, regardless, the air was not rejected. She needed to close her eyes, though. It felt too weird to keep them open. He considered he had been generous enough after six seconds.

He took the hair pin, which looked much too refined for the task it was given. He used it to open the indestructible door's destructible lock. Sophia only watched him do it, feeling dizzy but a bit calmer thanks to the air.

At last, the door was opened. He hated many things about her, but the ingenious aspect her, he had just learned, he did not dislike. Both smiled from relief. She and Z. Z. looked at each other, both wearing smiles. That was a first.

Sophia could stand up at last but her walking had not really improved and nearly tripped. Z.Z. didn't tell her a word and just lifted her in his arms and proceeded to run from the room. He definitely was fit.

The hallways Z.Z. ran through were dirty and the appearance suggested it was an abandoned factory.

-Take a left here. – Sophia instructed while pointing the left hallway. – At the end of that hallway, turn left again and there will be an elevator.

-You remember every turn we took? – Z.Z. questioned.

She paused before grinning her clever grin.

-Of course. – Was her brief response.

With her instructions, they reached the entrance they had taken in less than three minutes. Z.Z. was with his back against a wall, still carrying Sophia in his arms, hiding while looking for anyone guarding the entrance.

-It seems clear. – He said before venturing outside.

The sun was just finishing setting. There was nobody around. Of course they did not expect her to survive, how were her captors to know her dead servant would come back to life or that they'd make it alive out of that room for that reason?

-Z.Z., let me down. – Sophia said hoarsely.

He did as asked without a second thought. She was still not very well. He narrowed his eyes as he saw her fall on her knees and provoking herself to vomit. The sight of the Princess of Britannia puking behind the bush of an abandoned factory while sitting in the dirty floor was not precisely ceremonious, and he was sure more than a hundred reporters and journalists of both newspapers and sensationalist magazines would pay a fortune for a blurry picture of her doing it.

Her breathing was strained and sweat covered her forehead. She then turned to Z.Z., who was merely looking at her blankly.

-If you are feeling dizzy, fatigued or a headache, I suggest you do the same.

Z.Z. did feel a headache. Without any reply, he proceeded to throw up behind the bush next to her.

He used his sleeve to clean his mouth. Something as messed up with blood as his clothes was preferable to use for that purpose than toilet paper. The fresh air afterwards was soothing.

In the meantime, Sophia looked around intently.

-Your hair pin. – Z.Z reminded while extending his hand for her to take the pin.

-Keep it. – She said indifferent, just like she had said before he could keep the Ferrari.

He took his hand back after noticing she wouldn't take it. He took a better look at it. What at first seemed to him like rhinestones he noted actually were diamonds.

-If you sell it, you should get about 1000 Britannian pounds for it. – She commented casually without even looking at him.

_She's not materialistic._ – Z.Z. noted mentally.

He turned to look in the same direction as her. The factory's entrance had an unkempt garden of which only the grass remained slightly presentable. There was a highway road meters ahead. He could see no signs indicating any nearby locations. Beyond the highway road was an average landscape with forest trees and mountains in the far back. However, that was not very useful. There were numerous mountainous places in Area 11. Not even knowing they couldn't be more than an hour from Ashford Academy helped.

-I believe I know where we are. – Sophia said out of the blue, catching him off guard.

Before he could inquire as to their location, a deafening explosion in the far background was suddenly heard.

-What was that? – He asked with narrowed eyes, though his overall serious countenance still stood.

-Terrorists. – She answered as-a-matter-of-factly.

-How can you be certain of that?

-It would make sense. – She replied without looking at him; her eyes were focused on the smoke rising from the far back.

-They attacked a point approximately 3 kilometers from here. – Z.Z. noted. – What for?

-Their target happens to be the very man that tried to kill us back there. – She said without a shadow of doubt.

-I figured he was that kind of powerful figure. Terrorists attacking him must mean he's influential in politics, nobility or commerce.

Sophia curled her lip upwards.

-Actually, Z.Z., that man happens to be influential in all of those.

Z.Z. looked at her more intently.

-You know who that was despite not having shown you his face nor having heard his true voice?

At last, Sophia returned the look with a smirk that was anything but innocent.

-Of course. Why would that be surprising? You chose me because I am capable, am I not correct, Z.Z.?

She didn't seem interested in his answer as she immediately turned again to the place where chaos was being born.

-Even I have a hard time believing such timing. If I were superstitious, I'd call this 'fate'. - She then paused to stand up. – This is perfect… Now I just need to get a transmitter or something…

-Will you not lose your resolve this time? – His voice was void of worry; rather, it was skeptical.

She looked at him again scowling.

-I told you, didn't I? I have found my resolve and I'm not stepping back. This is the start of the game; withdrawing would be pathetic.

Z.Z. nodded in acceptance of her answer.

-Are you not going to stop me even though I almost get killed or tell me I'm being senseless?

-Why would I tell you what you already know? I'm not stopping you. But I'll only remind you one thing, Snow. – Z.Z.'s tone was admonitory and brimming with deathly gravity others would've cringed at listening to. – Once you get in, there is no going back.

-You're testing me, aren't you? – She smirked slyly. – I'm not so hard-headed that I need to hear things several times, Z.Z. From the moment I accepted our contract, I was in. What you call 'going back' is impossible at this rate. If I do not play, I'll be locked for the rest of my life in the palace after my attitude today and this chance of freedom and finding them will be lost forever. There is no going back, there's only hiding. I don't want to hide.

-Fair enough. – He said while standing up. - However, don't expect my help.

-Roger that. – She grinned at him before walking away.

No 'Goodbye' and no 'Take care' were said between them. They didn't inquire as to where he'd go or as to how she'd do what she was planning to. They didn't even turn to look at each other before parting.

After the explosion Z.Z. and Sophia originally heard, a lot of rushing and movement began inside the structure whose wall that surrounded it had just been attacked.

Among the mobilization taking place, a man in a black suit ran as fast as he could. Sweaty, he made a rough halt in front of a door before knocking it frantically to announce his entrance.

-Sir King! – The man exclaimed. – We're being attacked, sir!

The addressed man sat leisurely in a couch facing his glass wall with view to the dock in front, where a fight was beginning. He calmly sipped from his wineglass before turning to the exalted man. His white mask hiding his face was already well-known to anyone in the structure and it had become characteristic of him, the Boss.

-Why? You don't say! – He said irritated, courtesy of the lovely princess. – I don't like to be addressed as if I were an idiot. Kill him. – He ordered the man standing beside the couch.

-Yes, sir. – He said before complying.

Before the man at the entrance could run, he was shot by the same gun that had shot Z.Z. earlier.

Watching from above, very characteristic of someone with a god complex, he looked as the five obsolete Knightmare frames were no longer having it their way at the docks as far more advanced ones stepped into the battlefield.

-Ah, the squad finally made its entrance. – He talked to himself. – Took them too long…

He sipped from his wine and continued contemplating the events unfolding, feeling perfectly confident in the safety of the structure where he was. The thought of the Princess being dead by then made him smile and he was eager to see her corpse at her funeral and feel the satisfaction of being the one with the privilege of killing who was belike the most hated girl among the high classes.

-I trust the call has already been made. – He turned to the man that had just shot his gun.

-It has, Sir King. – The lackey replied.

-Perfect. – He grinned crookedly behind his mask. – Tonight shall be the most important night of my life. And it's only just begun!

He laughed maniacally afterwards.

Sophia was thinking of the different approaches she could do as she walked by the trees. Suddenly, she spotted a couple of guys that wore worn clothes and had guns with them. Their features and the language they spoke clearly beckoned they were Japanese. Chances of them being involved in the terrorist attack were good enough for Sophia to show herself to them.

Both Japanese men pointed their guns at them and suspected her.

-She must be a Britannian. – One of them told the other in Japanese. – Look at her uniform.

-What would a student be doing here? – The other asked.

-Who cares? We cannot let her interfere or witness anything. We have to kill her!

-Good evening, you two. – Sophia startled them as she greeted them in fluent Japanese, a language most Britannians considered lowly and coarse.

Before they could come back to themselves, she hypnotized them with her Geass.

-You're submitting to my orders this moment. – She commanded.

-Yes. – They both answered under her control.

-Answer my questions. What is your mission tonight?

-To assault a ship filled with captured slaves before it sails, destroy the quarters and kill the head of these activities.

Sophia raised an eyebrow.

-Sounds quite ambitious considering you're merely terrorists. Your manpower must be limited and your resources even more. Are you all aware this man has warfare of top technology and a private military squad at his service?

-We are aware of that. – One replied blankly. – This mission's volunteers are all ready to die as long as we accomplish the mission.

-Of course… - Sophia said after a pause.

Inwardly, she was finding the information very interesting. Wills that great, people not afraid of dying, was exactly what she needed.

-How many Knightmare frames are in your possession?

-Five.

Sophia frowned. Those people were brave but very stupid. How were they planning to accomplish anything with such low numbers when going against a fish this big?

-What types are those Knightmare frames?

-We have three Sutherlands, a Gloucester and a Glasgow.

Sophia felt like smacking these guys' heads. Attacking with that kind of resources was too optimistic, too ingenious. At this point, they would only get there to die and not accomplish anything. But then, she couldn't expect much from their very limited budget.

_OK, this is not much different than my chess experience. I get there once the player already messed up and I fix it. No matter the disadvantage, I must find a way to play my pieces wisely and obtain victory._

Right after she had thought that, she saw something fly about 10 meters above them, heading west. Soon later, less than 300 meters from her, a Sutherland had been taken down. What was left of it was battered and deformed, no longer usable. The pilot cockpit was missing, suggesting the pilot had managed to eject before collapsing.

Sophia flinched as the soil beneath her trembled at the impact of that fall. She looked up and saw the Knightmare frame that had brought it down. It was a Seventh age model, different from a Vincent, though, with a giant rifle as its weapon. Sophia scowled. _This is bad, I didn't expect them to count with a Seventh age model since very few were made in mass after the war and they are not very compatible with most pilots … How he got his hands on one is beyond me._

Sophia heard people approaching and immediately took cover behind the trees. She ventured to look with caution at the approaching squad of armed men. _They must be his private military unit…_

The Japanese men, still under her control, did not react before one of the men shouted the sight of two Eleven and they were shot to death. Sophia stopped breathing as the two corpses fell to the ground with holes all over them, from which blood flowed uncontrollably. She would end up the same way if she wasn't cautious.

The Seventh Age Knightmare frame was walking away towards the battle she knew was taking place, as if leaving everthing to the armed men in green uniforms that surrounded the fallen Sutherland.

-The pilot's cockpit has ejected! – One exclaimed.

-It cannot be far from here! Look around the perimeter! – Another one commanded; Sophia concluded his rank was superior.

This was bad. She was going to get discovered, so she prepared herself to use her Geass. Before she could show herself, however, a bomb of short range inside the Knightmare frame blew off, blowing away the uniformed men.

Sophia admitted she didn't expect that. Had she been any closer, she could've been injured.

She walked towards the Sutherland in fire, burning with the corpses of two Eleven terrorists and a dozen of Britannian soldiers who worked for a corrupt man.

_Fourteen lives gone to waste. _– Sophia mused as she saw the flames devour everything slowly to ashes.

She approached the bloody mess and was surprised to find one the soldiers still shaking. She conjectured he was one of those stubborn souls that would do anything to continue living.

The soldier grunted in despair and throbbing pain as he lied in his stomach and Sophia observed him. A big sharp metallic piece she assumed originally belonged to the Sutherland had blown his way and pierced his back and was then stuck in him, like a misshapen wing. Blood oozed from the wound and soaked his dirtied clothes like reddish black ink. She found it quite intriguing to find a will so strong as to bear the pain. _But I must be even stronger than this from today onwards… _- She complemented.

The soldier took notice of her and, grimacing, turned to look at her. He frowned as disappointed for her not being a teammate in his rescue. Then he looked slightly confused since she did not resemble a terrorist in the least with her Britannian school uniform.

She looked at him more closely too. He was very young, couldn't be older than 22. He was neither handsome nor just average-looking. His features looked like they could pull off a charming smile.

_It's a pity you chose the wrong place to be…_

He opened his mouth as to speak but his voice wouldn't come out. His frustration added up to his unbearable pain.

Sophia knelt in front of him and grabbed his chin such that his face looked at her eyes. With her Geass, she gave him an order.

-Surrender already and let soothing death come to take your pain. – She spoke softly; that was the softest order she had given with her Geass yet.

The man closed his eyes immediately and gave a last sigh. She touched his sweaty neck and felt his pulse rhythmically disappearing.

She proceeded to pull the metallic piece from his back, stomping on him and cutting herself in the process. She grimaced before finally succeeding and throwing the piece away. Her cut in her right hand's palm was nothing worrisome.

She stripped the man off his clothes and helmet and then stripped herself to put on the green uniform. It was quite displeasing, especially because of it was dirty with the man's sweat and it reeked of his blood. It was too big for her but it would have to do since the rest were in even worse conditions. She ripped off a piece of it to improvise a bandage for her hand, took his weapon and her school uniform and headed west, towards the cabin of the Sutherland's pilot.

Like she had guessed, there were several other men searching for the pilot's cabin. There was no way she was the only one that had seen it land close to that area. Because she had predicted that, she had done as much as wearing a disgusting uniform that would allow her to go unnoticed.

She did, however, stop one of them using her Geass and asked him to make her a small favor.

Unlike the other men, she had mentally calculated the most likely route it could've taken and had a much more accurate idea of where to search. Hence, she was the first to find it.

She approached the cockpit gingerly. It was severely battered and even punctured. She then understood the Seventh Age frame had used its rifle to pierce through the cockpit. Though it had failed to hit the center, it had to have injured the pilot.

Inside was a boy around her age, maybe even younger. He was bespectacled and black-haired. He was sweating, gasping, crying and struggling to breathe as he held his right side. Sophia was impressed with the wound. Because the bullet used was family sized, so was the wound. Despite only having been grazed by it, his whole torso's right side skin was ripped off. It had broken one, perhaps two, of his ribs, but only grazed his lung, liver and large intestine. His right arm had also met its end.

Sophia gulped at the sight. She could definitely not blame the guy for crying. If she were the one in his shoes, she'd be squirming and twisting like a worm…

He had been bleeding quite a while. She could tell by looking at his eyes that his vision was blurry from loosing so much blood. At that point, it was impossible to help him.

He turned his head abruptly to her, showing his gritting teeth he pointed a gun at her.

-You've come to end my life, didn't you, Britannian bastard? – He shouted.

She had guessed correctly earlier. This pilot's eyes showed he had a great will and no fear for death. She wondered if the other four were this intriguing.

-I have not come here for that purpose. – Sophia answered.

The guy with blurry green eyes widened in surprise to hear a young woman's voice. Perhaps he trusted his sixth sense, telling him she was not lying, since he lowered his gun. Such a sense must be something exclusive of the moribund, those approaching the end of the tunnel of their lives, for humans, as long as they live, continuously learn not to trust everyone and he had just trusted her words even in the dire scenario they were in.

-Who are you? – He asked her.

Sophia took off the helmet that covered most of her face, except her eyes, to answer.

-The one who won't let your sacrifice be in vain. – She responded, and that was true.

He swallowed before turning to her with an innocent face she never thought she'd see in a terrorist.

-I was a coward… - He said. – I ejected instead of fighting until the end…

-Are you sure it's wise to talk? – Sophia asked him.

The bespectacled boy suppressed a chuckle. Of course it was wise to talk and manipulate what his last words would be. It was as clear to him as it was to her he had no way to be saved at that point.

-Kaya – San would be so mad at me. – He smiled a fragile smile. – Okazaki – San wouldn't have feared to go at it despite the possibility of dying… And both my sempai would've been able to evade that bullet easily… They're all so strong! But I…I was of no help at all.

-Do you want your last words to be pathetic lies? – Sophia asked frigidly.

The boy's smile faded and he turned to her voice.

-If that really is what you think, then your sacrifice will be in vain, inevitably. If you really thought you were of no help, you wouldn't be here. You wouldn't have piloted that Sutherland.

He looked like he was staring at her although he was blind. He didn't say anything for several seconds.

-Are you an angel? – He took her aback with such a question.

-Japanese don't believe in angels. – She responded bluntly.

The boy smiled momentarily. Perhaps he was happy someone was calling him 'Japanese', not 'Eleven'.

-I was raised in Christianity. – He replied.

Oh, well, it wouldn't hurt her to give some joy and hope, even if false, to someone whose life is fading.

-I'm not an angel. I haven't been sent from Heaven. But I've taken upon myself to fight for the same cause you've given your life to. I have not the favor of God, using my methods. All I have is the power of Kings.

She was surprised to hear him chuckle and he immediately felt the painful consequences.

-I knew beforehand I'd go to Hell for doing this. – He coughed. – But I did it because I don't regret fighting for what I believe.

Sophia leaned and whispered to his ear with a grave voice.

-The only Hell that exists is Earth itself. The punishment of the wrongdoers are not lashes and burns but loneliness. Right when they feel alone and they need help, they dare not to ask for relief to God, for they know they are wrongdoers. Loneliness and guilt are a far more suiting punishment… After you die, you die. Your stay in Hell has finally ended.

A smile formed in his face at her soothing words before exhaling for the last time.

None of the words Sophia had said were things she could prove, but they weren't lies to her. She truly believed all of that. That is why she knew that, now that she could no longer have a clean conscience in front of God, she knew her life would become as hellish as it could get in the following days. Like she had told Z.Z. earlier, there was no going back anymore. _I'm a sinner. That, I cannot deny. I became one since my contract with Z.Z. But, like this guy, if I succeed, I will not regret fighting… To succeed, however, is the unknown variable._

She shook her head to slowly return to her usual self. She had to hurry up and do what she originally planned to do, the reason she had gone through the trouble of dressing up.

She immediately took his communication device, consisting of headphones and a transmitter.

She glanced at the guy whose name she didn't know one last time. He looked peaceful despite the pain he had been in. It was now her time to fight, in her own way.

She spotted a hill faraway from there, relatively close to the structure where her former kidnapper was. It was a tall building of fifteen stories and tall wall surrounding it like a castle, making it nearly impossible to penetrate it, a fortress. The hill gave a good view of what was happening at the dock in the far north and the height would give her good reception. She smirked. It was the perfect place to command and turn the tables.

But then she spotted a squad of a dozen men coming towards her. She immediately put the helmet back on.

The men took a close pick at the terrorist before realizing he was death.

-Serves him right. – Sophia heard one of them say.

-Officer, what is your report of the situation? – She was asked.

Sophia's lips curled upwards.

-Officer! – She was urged. – Report the situation!

-I have an even better idea. – She said as she activated the Geass on her left eye and looked at all the men.

In the meantime, at the docks, the Glasgow and the Gloucester on the terrorist band were against each other's back, facing countless Gloucester and slightly less numerous Sixth Age frames, all surrounding them.

-At this rate, we won't be able to stop the ship from sailing. – Len said inside the Glasgow.

-We must remember what Syusuke - San told us. – Shiro reminded while in the Sixth Age model. – He said that, given that we fail to stop the ship, we must join him and the others in attacking the fortress.

-Tch. – Len frowned, clicking his tongue. – Kaya's going to be a pain in the ass with her mocks if we fail.

-Damn right. – Shiro smirked.

Right that moment, they both continued to fight.

Despite their age, their skills, both individual and combined, were admirable. Because they were considered the best, they piloted the worst and the best of the frames. Their skill gave them enough advantage, so both could pilot the Glasgow without being in a pinch for that alone. They were able to pull off tricks to bring several down at the same time, so both could pilot the most agile and newest of the models. It was not lack of skills what was against them, but lack of time.

Elsewhere, Okazaki Syusuke was attacking the walls surrounding their target nonstop as Tsugimoto Kaya was covering his back.

_That woman is many things but she's one heck of a good fighter._ – Syusuke thought with a smile, like each time he saw her fight.

Kaya Tsugimoto's ruthlessness and great violence in battle was above the average, not minding killing the pilots, attack ceaselessly with her weapons, when given, running out of bullets in five minutes, or send the frames flying for nearly a kilometer of distance. She didn't fight like a woman. But despite her fearsome attitude, what her revealing outfits showed and her lethal charm made it indubitable she was, effectively, a lady.

In a matter of minutes, their opponents were all down.

-Oi, Syusuke! – She called to his transmitter.

_Speaking of the Devil's lady. _– He thought.

-I haven't broken through yet, Kaya. – He answered. – You're gonna have to hold for longer.

-That's not it, you idiot! – She shouted. – Kotaro is not answering.

Syusuke frowned. That was something he seldom did, reserving it for times when it really seemed necessary.

-He's at the other side of the structure. It might be a reception problem.

He bit his lip. He knew very well that was a lame excuse. He had frowned because he knew what the most likely cause was.

-Should I go and check on him?

-That will not be possible. – He said gravely.

-Why not? – Kaya shouted. – Your back is clear and Shiro and Len are too busy at the dock!

-I need you to cover my back from the ones approaching us. – He stated.

He heard Kaya's shock through the transmitter. She turned around and the need to fight the group that was charging at her surged.

-Shit. – Kaya cursed after a minute while fighting.

-What is it now, Kaya? – Syusuke asked without stopping attacking the thick and resistant wall.

-Syusuke… - Kaya's voice was uncharacteristically soft.

Syusuke's frown deepened. That did not sound good one bit. He had been a terrorist with her for years now. He knew that soft tone all too well. She only used under one circumstance.

-You said the area where Kotaro was didn't have anyone guarding it, right? That's why we sent him there…

-Yes? – Syusuke asked, urging her to continue, to get to the point.

-I just saw a Seventh age frame come from where he was supposed to be!

Syusuke didn't answer.

-Syusuke? – Kaya asked. – Do you copy?

-Yes, I heard you. – Syusuke said gravely, with a strict undertone in his voice.

He knew Kaya well and Kaya knew him too. She knew Syusuke Okazaki spoke with that voice when he told her something in specific…

-You must focus on the mission. – He began. – We all came here ready to die. Kotaro knew that and was still willing to fight tonight. You must deal with it. Else, his sacrifice will have been in vain.

She growled. She hated to hear him speak all mighty and composed when he was, she knew and did not doubt, shedding tears.

In different missions and in her life in general, she had lost many people. It hurt the most to lose the younger ones. But she had learned to cope with it in one way.

-Kaya, I need you to cover me.

-I know! DAMMIT! – She bellowed before turning up her violence level towards the frames she was fighting.

Syusuke grinned while, as Kaya knew he was, shedding tears.

_You act stronger if you want to. I know you're going to drown in more alcohol than usual after this is over…If we survive._

Meanwhile, on top of a hill, Sophia grinned as she watched the battle from afar. _I've come across promising pilots._

She then turned to her transmitter as she wore the headphones.

-Are you on the ship already? – She asked.

-Yes. – A voice on the line said.

-Are the boxes arranged already?

-Yes. – The voice's tone did not change.

-Good. Wait for my call to set them off.

-Yes. – The monotonous voice answered again.

-Is the ship already mobilizing?

-Yes.

-Excellent. I want no delays.

She finished that call with a smirk. She proceeded to make a new call.

-Yes. – Someone answered with the same dull voice as the previous call.

-Are you done yet? – Sophia asked.

-Yes. – The man answered.

-Good. Then, go help the others with the slaves. You must wait for my call before releasing them.

She cut the call that minute, not eager to hear yet another unemotional 'yes'.

_Initial preparations are done._ – She pondered with a smile that brought doom.

-It's time to test their skills. – She said out loud before making another transmission.

Len and Shiro were the main attraction. Hence, they were facing the most opponents.

-There are too many! – Len growled while bringing another one down. - I don't think we can stop the ship now…

-What are you saying, Len? – Shiro exclaimed while making two Sutherlands crash against each other. – There are too many people there. We cannot give up on them so easily!

Len smiled. Shiro was always like this, willing to fight and give everything like no tomorrow. In this occasion, though, they didn't have a tomorrow guaranteed.

-You're right. – Len said. – It looks like Syusuke – San is almost inside. I'm gonna call Kotaro for back up.

Len picked up the transmitter but he received word before he could call anyone.

-Q1. – A stranger voice on the other side of the line called.

Len's eyes widened. He couldn't blame the reception. That was clearly a female voice. He gulped at the thought of Kotaro being captured.

-Who are you? – Len demanded.

-Len, what's wrong? – Shiro asked him.

-What have you done to Kotaro? – Len ignored Shiro, worrying him more.

_So his name was Kotaro, huh?_ – The voice's owner mused.

-No need to shout, Q1. – The female voice stated. – The pilot is dead.

Len stopped moving.

Shiro immediately saved him from an attack and covered him.

-The hell are you doing, Len? – Shiro asked worried.

-You bitch! – Len cursed, ignoring Shiro again. – You killed Kotaro!

-Don't get the wrong idea either, Q1. – She corrected with an unfazed voice. – I was not the one who killed him, but the Seventh Age model that is quickly approaching you.

-What…?

Len turned his attention to the field and noticed that, effectively, a Seventh Age frame was getting near. He bit his lip. He had no chance of going against that in a Glasgow. Then a realization hit him. Before he could ask anything, though, he heard Shiro cursed. Undoubtedly, he had seen the Seventh age Knightmare frame coming closer and closer.

Shiro was starting to worry as to why Len was ignoring him.

-Len! – He called.

-Q2. – A female voice answered instead. – I believe you've just taken notice of the Seventh age model coming. You must face it. Q1 does not stand a chance against it.

-What is this? – Shiro frowned. - Who are you and how are you communicating with me?

-She has Kotaro's communication device. – Len answered for him.

-What? – Shiro exclaimed.

-Kotaro's dead. – Len said gravely.

Shiro cursed.

-How did you know about the Seventh age frame? – Len asked the voice while giving Shiro time to assimilate things.

-I'm watching from afar. – She replied.

-Who are you?

-You only need to know three things. One: I am on your side. Two: I am your only chance of victory. Three: If you want to win, you must do as I say.

-Why should we believe you? – Shiro asked, obviously upset about the news of Kotaro.

-Because I want the same thing as you: To revive the past where freedom was. – She replied.

Shiro didn't know why but that young woman's voice, probably younger than him, didn't sound untrustworthy to him. Strangely, he felt comfortable at its sound.

-Very well. – He said. – Len, what do you say?

A pause of four seconds took place. Len took down one more frame before answering.

-Fine. We'll trust her…For now. – Len accepted.

Sophia smiled.

-Good call. Now, don't worry about the ship anymore; it's been taken care of.

-What? – Len asked in disbelief.

-How so? – Shiro asked too.

-I cannot give you the luxury of details yet. – Her tone reminded them of the threat that would clash with them in seconds. – Q2, you're going to face it. Q1, you must act as bait for the approaching Gloucester.

Len blinked.

-There's another unit of Gloucester coming? – He asked.

-Yes. – Her tone was not very patient but it was not harsh either. – Approximately seven of them.

-I cannot fight them alone.

-You are not the one who will fight. – The voice smiled. – Head to your 11 o' clock.

Len sighed. He had trouble trusting this voice but he trusted Shiro. Shiro, for some reason, had an extra sense that was accurate when it came to trust people.

-Understood. – Len accepted the order before moving.

-Q2. – She called Shiro.

-Why do you call me that? – He asked.

-Introductions should be saved for later; this is not the time for it. – She responded. – Q2, I'll leave this up to you.

-Will you not give me specific instructions like Len? – He questioned.

-That won't be necessary. The skills I've seen so far tell me you can defeat that opponent. – She said as-a-matter-of-factly before ending communication.

Shiro's eyes widened. That was no ordinary girl there, talking to him with so much confidence about his skill after having merely observed him shortly. In truth, he was not the kind that liked being told how to fight. So he grinned widely.

-Bring it on. – Shiro said as he finally clashed with the Seventh age Knightmare frame.

Len had successfully attracted all Gloucester and all seven were behind him.

-What now? – He asked her.

-Ahead of you, you'll see cargo boxes. Get in there.

Len arched an eyebrow.

-If I enter there, I'll be cornered. – He frowned. – Do you seriously know what you're doing?

Sophia scowled. These terrorists were even more patience-consuming than her chess clients.

-Get in there. – She repeated and made sure her tone left it clear she was not going to argue with him.

Len clicked his tongue before huffing. Nonetheless, he did as told. He entered the endless rows of boxes, one on top of another.

Like he had said, he was surrounded by the 7 Gloucester in the front and more cargo boxes were behind him. They were all ready to attack him at the same time. In a Glasgow, he had no chance of defending himself.

-The cargo boxes at your right, throw them to the floor. – The voice commanded.

-What…? – Len hesitated.

-Just do it, Q1.

Growling, he kicked back and the box piles fell down. For what he could see, the boxes were open. A dark powdery substance came out of the boxes.

-Just what is that supposed to be? – He pondered aloud.

-Unprocessed gunpowder for Knightmare frame weapons. – The female voice answered his thoughts.

-What? – Len exclaimed in disbelief.

He knew how flammable and sensitive unprocessed gunpowder was when unprocessed. Even after being processed and turned into a clearer color, it was effective enough to be used to shoot bullets the size of a car. Apparently, his opponents knew that too since they wouldn't move. Moving would be unwise. The wheels that slid on the floor to advance would cause friction in the floor. Because it was covered with unprocessed gunpowder, merely advancing or backing off would trigger an explosion that could blow them all up.

-You knew this! – Len accused. – Do you realize I cannot attack now?

-You forget you cannot be attacked either.

-Is that your idea of a frigging joke?

-You haven't noticed what is behind you, have you, Q1?

-Boxes with _more_ gunpowder? – He hissed snidely.

-And behind those boxes is a clear path you can use to head towards the ship. – Her commanding voice sounded confident, much to his annoyance. – Those were the only boxes with unprocessed gunpowder. It's safe to push the ones behind you and they will not be able to go after you.

Len arched an eyebrow. _Maybe this girl does know what she's doing…_

He pushed back the boxes and used the new path he had created to head to the ship. He frowned at a thought that made him uneasy.

-How did you know which boxes had the unprocessed gunpowder?

-They were arranged before you got there.

-How did you know I'd be cornered in that specific spot?

-Logic and calculus. – She answered unfazed before ending the call.

Len sighed. She didn't precisely make trusting her an easy task.

-He's escaping! – One of the Gloucester exclaimed. – We must go after it!

-But sir! – Another replied. – We cannot move!

-Then we'll just have to eject from our units and follow him on foot! – The man ordered.

-Y-Yes, sir! – The other six replied.

Sophia smirked and made another call.

-Yes? – The monotonous voice answered.

-Blow the gunpowder up. – She commanded.

-Yes, Your Highness.

As the seven men got off their Gloucester units, an eight man wearing their uniform appeared.

-What are you doing here? – The superior of the group asked. – Anyways, we need back up to go after that terrorist... OI! Are you listening?

The man that showed no emotion simply pulled out a gun and aimed at the gunpowder spread on the ground.

-Are you crazy? – Three men asked in unison, in fear.

The man pulled the trigger and all the cargo boxes in the area were triggered to explode. Sophia grinned from afar. One exploded after another. It was like a dark light show.

Len was already at a safe distant when it happened and he gasped in shock._ Just who is the person that is coordinating this all? How can she do this?_

In yet another call, a hypnotized man's voice answered with another dull 'yes'.

-You and the rest free the people now and let the pilot in the Glasgow take care of the rest. Once he is there, kill yourselves.

-Yes, Your Highness.

Syusuke Okazaki and Kaya Tsugimoto had at last broken through the wall but were greeted by an army of Gloucester they had no choice to fight.

-Oi, Syusuke! – Kaya exclaimed. – Do you hear that? What is going on outside with all those explosions?

-Let Len and Shiro worry about it, Kaya. – Syusuke ordered.

-Whatever! – Kaya hissed as she continued going at it and blowing down more frames. – It's not like I care about those brats, anyway.

It was in that moment that they both received a call.

-Who is this? – Syusuke answered.

-What do you want? – Kaya's tone was more impolite.

-The one who will make your little ambush here a success. – A young female voice answered.

Both Kaya and Syusuke narrowed their eyes.

The man in the white mask stood still while watching from his room in the building the scenario below. He threw the wineglass to the floor, indignant at the sight of the explosions the Princess had enjoyed a short while ago.

-What the bloody damn is this supposed to mean? – He shouted.

He still couldn't believe it. How had this happened? How had a few terrorists defeated so many of the men from his private military unit? It didn't make sense.

-This is unacceptable! – He screamed.

-Sir King! – A man came into the room alarmed.

The informant's face was greeted by an ashtray Sir King threw to him.

-How dare you storm in here and interrupt me? – He yelled.

-But…But Sir…! – The man insisted trembling while holding his bleeding nose. - The walls have been penetrated, sir!

The man's reaction was unexpected. He laughed. Rather, he guffawed.

-Sir King…? – The informant asked confused.

-Those terrorists really think they can stop me, don't they? – He chortled.

After laughing for several seconds his fist hit a wall. His eyes were fuming behind his white mask.

-They can try this hard if they want, they will lose! The ship should get going any minute now. They will fail and I'll have their heads for it.! – He then smiled crookedly, showing all his inner corruption. – I'll get their heads hanged in each corner of this building

Soon, Len reached the ship. He smiled at the thought that he might have a chance to stop it. Whether he didn't like it or not, it was thanks to the guidance of that mysterious girl. _She sounds like she's around my age. _– He mused.

He was baffled to see the numerous prisoners gathered outside the ship already.

-What's the meaning of this? – He thought out loud.

A silent and eerie pause occurred. Neither Syusuke nor Kaya said a word. For the latter to reserve her comments was very rare.

-Syusuke… - Kaya spoke gravely. – I'm not sure about this…The boys would change their minds if you asked them, though and…

-I understand. – Syusuke interrupted her curtly. – Whoever you are, miss, I will let you handle this.

-Syusuke, are you for real? – Kaya shouted in disbelief on the other side of the line.

-Kaya, just listen to what's going on outside. It's clear both of them trusted her and are fighting with her instructions. I believe we could give her a chance…

Kaya growled and then sighed.

-Fine then. – She agreed. – So…Whoever-you-are, what do you want us to do?

Meanwhile, Shiro's brow was already sweaty. His opponent was no pushover, but that was mostly due to his Knightmare frame. His skills, he calculated, were average. Evading the bullets he shot did not allow him to attack, but the enemy could not land an attack on him either. _This impasse has lasted too long…_ - He thought.

-It's time to go all out or nothing. – Shiro said to himself.

From the frame's arms, he pulled out two pieces that shone before being clearly visible.

-Maser Vibration Swords? – The man in the Seventh age frame exclaimed. – Impossible… A Gloucester couldn't possibly sustain MVS of such high quality!

Shiro grinned. Using his swords, Shiro easily cut through the rifle the opponent's frame used as weapon. It was his chance to strike a surprise blow.

-It's a pity. – Shiro said. – A Seventh age Knightmare frame goes to waste, and you never brought out its full capacity…

That said, he proceeded to cut one of the legs of the frame, damaging its balance and threw one of the swords like a spear, piercing right above the pilot's cockpit.

Before the pilot could counterattack, Shiro jumped back, escaping the explosion of the swords.

-They never last more than a minute. – He said to himself as he watched his opponent burn. – Those are only experimental. Indeed, a Gloucester could never use Maser Vibration Swords.

_That was a Seventh Age Knightmare frame? Definitely nowhere close to the Lancelot or the Guren MK II… Will any of these pilots ever reach the level of Kururugi Suzaku or Kouzuki Kallen?_ – Sophia wondered while watching. – _I need something of that caliber to win this war…_

She took the communication device to make one more call.

-Q2. – She called.

-What's up? – He greeted sarcastically.

-Good job. – She smiled slyly.

-Yeah… - Shiro said. – Hey, what happened with the explosions on the other side at the dock?

-Q1. – She answered.

-Is Len OK?

-He's alright. – She rolled her eyes. – Q3 and Q4 have broken inside the walls. Go back them up.

-What about the ship? – He arched an eyebrow.

-Leave it to Q1.

-Is it time for introductions yet? – He asked her.

-Not yet, Q2. – She replied serious.

-Will you not even tell us your name? – He insisted.

Sophia paused. She hadn't thought of a name yet. She considered using 'Snow', which was the sole pseudonym that identified her in the illegal gambling business, but decided against it in the end.

-Like I said before, introductions will come afterwards. Go back Q3 and Q4 up.

Sophia then, stood up and turned off the transmitter, not giving him a chance to reply. _Yeah. My chess clients were easier. Anyhow, I've given instructions to everyone. Q3 and Q4 are fighting in a specific point, so I should be able to sneak in without asking for much attention. Q2 will arrive to support shortly. Q1 should already be at the ship._

-It's time to get moving. – She said to no one in particular, walking towards the fortress.

Truth was, it was already midnight, but the night was not over.

-So, you're saying this one soldier came into the ship and killed the personnel that were going to sail the ship but didn't kill any of you. Then, more soldiers, who smelled like gunpowder, came in and directed you all out of the ship and told you to wait here for a pilot in a Glasgow? – Len asked a few of the former slaves, with eyes widely skeptical.

-They were also communicating their actions constantly to someone with the transmitter of the ship. – One man complemented.

-They barely acted like humans. – A woman continued. – Their faces remained neutral all the time and they didn't even seem to react to anything… Everyone was scared at first.

-And you say that all soldiers walked away out of the blue once everyone was out of the ship?

The answers he got were several nods.

_Could this be what that woman meant when she said 'it was taken care of'? What is the meaning of this?_

-You are the terrorist that pilots the Glasgow. – He heard someone behind him say.

Len turned abruptly and saw a soldier standing. He gasped before reaching for his handgun.

The soldier merely pointed to another ship at his side, significantly smaller than the one where the Eleven were held, but could still be big enough to transport several people.

-I was told to bring that here. – He said before turning around and walking away.

-Oi, wait! – He yelled.

The soldier, however, ignored him.

-We could use that to get to the nearest coast… - One of the men he was talking to pointed out.

Len looked at the ship, unsure of what to think. Then he turned to the soldier again, but he was gone. _Who was the one that directed this all?_ – He pondered furrowing his brow.

Unknown to Len, that soldier had headed to a specific spot that Sophia had indicated to then shoot himself and join the rest of the suicidal corpses of the other soldiers.

-This is impossible! YOU HAVE TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME! – Sir King bellowed.

He threw a fist to the wall again. He clenched his teeth in fury. His forehead was sweating from anger alone. The sight of the Seventh age Knightmare frame being defeated was beyond what he could believe plausible. He had only felt like this once before…

X Sir King's flashback X

In a private room, he sat at one side of the chess board and an opponent on the other. Sir King's face was unmasked. Both his brown eyes and his thin lips were smiling as his victory was pretty much decided. Then, a laptop was set to take his opponent's place. He laughed and found the idea amusing. It seemed even more amusing after seeing the image of a masked young girl in the laptop's monitor.

-So you are the famous Snow, huh? You're not winning, darling. – He mocked. – This man has lost his King. Once the King is lost, everything is lost.

The girl didn't answer and simply gave instructions to the man he was playing against. Her instructions were absurd.

-But if I do that I might really lose! – The man cried.

He laughed at how ridiculous it was to even ask for help to a girl. It was an enjoyable sight…For three minutes.

Three minutes later, the situation was not laughable to him anymore.

-This doesn't make sense! – He exclaimed angry. – This must be a trick! Do you hear me? A bloody trick! Who do you think I am, girlie? I could make the King go against you if I wanted to!

He could almost swear he heard a disgruntled growl on her part.

-A Knight in the rim is grim. – Was her reply.

Five minutes later, his defeat was imminent.

-Customer. – That was what she called his opponent. – Move the Knight and take down his King.

So the customer did. He could not believe it. He had won.

-C-Checkmate… - He stammered.

-This is outrage! – He replied while shoving away the board.

He was held back by sinewy men, of course. He cursed as he heard the man thank the girl on the laptop.

-Don't thank me. Remember I charge per minute. It's been eight.

X End of Sir King's flashback X

-Sir King. – The lackey that had been with him in the room all the while called.

-WHAT? – The masked man turned to him in ire.

-We've received a call. The Marshal of the Britannian Army is heading towards the factory. – He said, not flinching at the creepy sight of his boss.

Sir King laughed hysterically again. His laughter sounded more twisted with each second.

The bodyguard in the black suit and sunglasses retired from the room at last while Sir King was enjoying the morbid thoughts of Princess Sophia's dead body.

Shiro arrived at the scene behind the walls and fought beside Kaya.

-You took your sweet time getting here. – She mocked. – Where's Len?

-She said to leave the ship to him and come to back you up. – Shiro answered.

-_She_, huh? – Kaya expressed.

-I had a feeling you'd be the one opposing to her command the most. – Shiro commented.

Kaya did not appreciate his blunt comment. Shiro knew she was glaring daggers at him.

-Did she give you any specific instructions? – He asked.

-She said the security inside was tight and we would not be able to successfully get to his room. – Syusuke informed. – So she said she'd be the one to get him.

-Huh? – Shiro exclaimed, not believing his ears. – If we cannot get in, how could she?

-That's exactly what I was saying! – Kaya said.

-Well, you and Len are the ones that have worked with her instructions. You tell me, Shiro, should we trust her? – Syusuke's voice was uncharacteristically grave.

Shiro didn't reply for a minute but knew the question would just be repeated if he didn't answer it then.

-Well, she has not yet showed anything to make us believe she's in either his or our side…

-Then I believe we can give her a chance. – Syusuke smiled.

-But Syusuke – San, - Shiro expressed serious. – How are we to know she's not in Sir King's side?

-She gave us a time limit. – Kaya replied.

-A time limit for what? – Shiro asked bemused.

-If we don't see the corpse of Sir King falling from his room's window after that time has expired, we can be sure she won't make it and we'll have to get inside.

-I still think it's risky. – Kaya scowled.

-Either way, we cannot get in without first finishing down here with all these Gloucester. – Syusuke said.

Like Sophia had guessed, getting inside was not very troublesome. Security was tight, but she had camouflage and could just order anyone who suspected her to ignore her.

She discerningly went up to the floor where she suspected his room could be. She roamed in the hallways mindfully and then spotted a door with bodyguards on each of its side. _This must be it._

She approached the two nonchalantly.

-Hey, you! – One of the told her. – This area is restricted! Go back down to fight!

Sophia grinned before showing both her eyes.

-I don't think that's happening. How about you two go fight downstairs, take down a couple of soldiers, perhaps?

-Yes. – They both said in dull unison before leaving the door unguarded.

She proceeded to walk to the door. Her hand was about to reach the handle when a strong arm pulled her from it. She gasped in surprise. The man threw her to the opposite wall. She groaned in pain. It was then that she was cornered. A brawny body pressed her against the wall. Because her face's left side was against the wall, using her Geass was impossible.

She ventured to look at her oppressor. She recognized him as one of the lackeys that had brought her to the abandoned factory.

She saw him frown. He recognized her eye color but could not believe it.

-You… - He said.

He never finished his sentence as a bullet went right through his head.

Sophia's violet irises contracted and her lips gawked. She turned to see the one responsible for his death, her savior. It turned out to be the one she least expected to see.

He approached her casually and glanced at her as if seeing if she was well. Was that concern?

-I thought you said you wouldn't help. – She stated.

-I said not to expect it. – Z.Z. corrected

-Why did you come along?

-No particular reason. – He shrugged his shoulders. – I didn't have anything better to do.

Sophia raised a green eyebrow.

-You're telling me you came here out of boredom? – She asked with marked incredulity.

He didn't answer. He just stared at her blankly. She sighed before looking at the corpse of the lackey and then to Z.Z. again.

-Thanks… - She said.

Without glancing at him again, she knelt beside the corpse and looked for his handgun, which she borrowed, never to return it. Did she have a habit of stealing from dead bodies or something?

-Do you think you can shoot one? – Z.Z. asked her.

-I've made several people shoot others and themselves this night alone. – She said softly.

She then took a deep breath to make her face look tougher and kicked open the door to Sir King's room.

Sir King turned to the door, surprised.

-I said I didn't want interruptions! – He bellowed.

Sophia thought his distorted voice was suiting for someone as pitiably corrupt as him. She then took off her helmet and let the man gasp in fright and his legs tremble until they couldn't support his weight anymore. So he fell back against the couch.

-T-T-This can't be! – He stuttered as he pointed at her. – You're supposed to be dead!

Sophia pointed the gun at him with a sly smile.

-Shut up. – She commanded.

The man had no choice but to shut up, but he spoke after a pause.

-This is impossible… You should've died!

-I should've died thrice already, right? – She asked with contempt. – Poisoned by chloroform, in a limousine accident and shot to death by a mafia group.

-Curse your puny blood… - He hissed.

Sophia frowned before shooting him in the hand. Sir King screamed and cried in pain while holding his hand.

She thought both him and John Carlson were big babies. Compared to the wound that had lead the bespectacled boy younger than her, Kotaro, to death, and how he handled it, still willing to shoot her despite the pain, this failed attempt of a man was beyond pathetic to her eyes.

-I'll admit I feel good as I shall tell you that your attempt of chagrin did not meet the purpose you expected. I don't find the rumors of idle nobles about my past menacing; I never have. I believe it is common knowledge I don't share your sick enjoyment of power and disgustingly extravagant fortunes; that alone makes it very reasonable for me to be the most despised among nobility, 'even more than the most deprived', as you said earlier. And, from this moment onward, those words will be even more insignificant to me. My past is no longer a mystery to me. Fortunately and unfortunately all of it is a lie. While the evidence I am rejecting as true has managed to be seen as truthful in the eyes of countless people, sadly for you, perhaps for both of us, it proves exactly what people are trying to use it to deny. If someone looked more closely, they'd see my parents were not mere commoners. As a matter of fact, you'd be flabbergasted if you were to hear my father's name, which I assure you has been heard even by the illiterate and the analphabetic. Moreover, Baron… – She paused as she noted the surprise in him, which showed in his widely open eyes. - You are not nearly as smart an ass as you think you are. You made several mistakes tonight, but a couple of them were exceptionally stupid. While you were ingenuously trying to humiliate me with the menace I have just proved false, you gave away the fact that you belonged to nobility, which was a suspicion of mine I needed to confirm and you did the favor to me by not thinking before talking. Only people in the nobility circles know about that rumor's matter and only nobles have sinewy lackeys. Royalty's fear for their personal security is as obnoxiously obvious as your lackeys' upper body strength. As for your other mistake, that one occurred before the other one yet its consequences were even worse. You merely assumed something. Precipitated assumptions without any bases are never more than assumptions. Assumptions always have a greater chance of being erroneous than right… You assumed I was, and I quote, idle, uninformed, uncultured. So you didn't worry about letting me see where I was or seeing you. Your sense of precaution must be minuscule for it to fit in such a small shape as a mask, although, I'll admit, it's fitting. Covering your face was all you thought necessary. Your unwise assumption led you to be careless and let the blindfolds be removed from my eyes. It will never fit in your reasoning just how big that mistake was, for it allowed me to do far more than just see… What I can tell you, Baron Carlson, – He gasped at the mention of his name. - is that I must object to you calling me an illiterate. I have seen the persona you pretend to be at balls often, your other mask. However, I know well who you are in reality, too. I know of your business of Eleven slaves trafficking, which you carry out under the pseudonym of 'Sir King'. The business is going smoothly, especially in the Areas distributed among all Europe, the South of Oceania and Northeast of Canada, and, of course, you are untouchable. Not just a noble, but a Baron of one of the most important families among nobility whose influence in commerce is highly favorable to Area 11 and to the very seat of it all, dear Britannia in its mother base and glory. In addition, nobody in any department that calls themselves people of justice gives a damn about what happens to Eleven, as demonstrated by the several lost judicial cases, the removal and denial of rights by the authorities and the unfair treatment they receive by the population with a generous charge of discrimination by all provided services… Baron Carlson, so far, you have only talked sophistry. Even worse, sophistry based on your mere opinions. You either ignore opinions are not solid nor does their power reach the extents you were stretching it into or you are arrogant… Can you guess already, your fatal assumption was that I am ignorant, Brandon Carlson? - The man's groans of pain had ceased at that point, his teeth clenched harder with each sentence and his wrath increasing. – Yes, I know your identity. You underestimated me and this is the result.

The man then grinned as he pulled out a black handgun from under the couch and pointed it at her, chuckling.

-You've underestimated me as well, Princess! – He exclaimed. – I am Sir King after all!

Sophia continued pointing at him. She was about to shoot to his other hand but the Baron beat her, shooting first.

Sophia grimaced as she landed in one knee. Fortunately, his aiming sucked, so the bullet had only grazed her right thigh.

While she knelt, the Baron had stood and laughed maniacally, much to Sophia's aggravation. Before she could move, the tip of his handgun was already against her forehead.

-Stand up. – He ordered her with sickening satisfaction.

She stood up slowly.

-Drop the gun. – He commanded her in the middle.

She frowned and let go of it before fully erecting her position.

-Do you know why I called myself 'Sir King'? – He asked her.

-I don't really care. – She answered bluntly.

Brandon Carlson seethed before slamming his hand against the wall, grazing her face. She blinked but did not flinch. He then took off his mask and revealed his face to her. She knew his face very well from both nobility balls and a game.

-The King is the most important piece in chess. – He began. – Not that you'd know much about chess, though. – He joked (erroneously). – Mark my words. My naïve brother John was easy to manipulate. Like him, I can make anyone comply with my wishes. I can do that because I am meant to be King! I've always been! I will not let you, an undesirable and disgusting commoner like you remain a threat! I will take the power! I will command Britannia and rule it! Whoever rules Britannia rules the world! I will be King! I WILL BE KING OF THE WOR…!

He trailed off after feeling a harrowing twinge in his groin. He even dropped the gun and fell to his knees. Sophia took advantage of that to take the gun again and get revenge by slapping him before kicking him, turning him around, and pointing the gun's tip at the back of his head.

-Shut up; now I mean it. – She commanded again. – Stand up, Baron.

He stood up as his back faced her.

-Look outside the window more closely. The ship has not left because it was stopped. The Eleven you captured to sell as slaves were freed and should soon get going to the nearest coast to escape. A good part of your military unit has been defeated by mere terrorists. As we speak, there is a fight happening downstairs. If I pull the trigger now and throw your body outside the window, it would be a signal of our impending victory. You can no longer win this, Brandon Carlson. – She told him with a solemn voice. – Using the chess terminology, since the cheap Seventh age model was brought down, it was checkmate. All I needed was a Knight. Just because the King is the most important piece, it does not mean it's invincible. A true chess player would know the Knight is the most valuable, having the power of decisive advantage in the most unexpected moment. A Knight is capable of being within attack range and not even the King can do anything to stop his imminent doom.

It seemed the Baron was mute. She leaned closer behind him with a smirk a tad sadistic, starving with desire for payback.

-A Knight in the rim is grim… So they say. – She whispered to his ear.

She could only see his face's profile, but it was enough to appreciate his utter bafflement as he recognized her.

Satisfied, she quickly placed herself in front of him and hypnotized him with her eye's Geass, something she had been itching to do all night.

-Now, Brandon Carlson. – She spoke grimly with a serious face. - Do yourself a favor and end your miserable life.

-Yes, Your Highness. – He expressed.

She pulled him to zone near the window and handed him the gun. He took it, placed it at the side of his head and pulled the trigger unhesitant like only a person under the effect of Geass could.

His body crashed against the glass and shattered it, falling from fourteen stories to the ground. A signal that indicated two things: Continuing to fight was pointless and she had officially earned the trust of the terrorists.

_This is and is not like chess; very alike yet very different. The pawns are humans and the moves will not always be like I planned… But there is no going back now. I am no longer the old me. I must be reborn as a symbol for people… I shall follow the steps of Lelouch vi Britannia. I must let my father be my guideline… I must become the new Zero._

Long chapter, I know! Hope you feel waiting was worth it. Would you think I'm weird if I told you I felt powerful as I wrote Sophia's argument in which she owned the Baron? It's like her character's powerful words were inside of me too. I'm not planning to include religious thoughts in future chapters, at least not frequently, in case you were wondering. Yes, I believe in God but I, of course, know we all have different beliefs and I respect that. Wow, this is the most violent chapter I've written in my life… XD Sorry if the action wasn't exciting. I admit action is not my forte. So, suggestions as to how I can improve it are much appreciated.


	4. Old Friends Appear in Times of War

Thanks to Everlasting Star for alerting this story and to fierysuzaku, Crystal of Moonlight and WolfWings-MoonNight for reviewing! I truly appreciate the support. Don't lose faith in me, because the original characters _will _appear further on! Please be patient. :) In other news, you might be aware I posted a new story called G H O S T for One Piece. You're welcome to read it. However, I tell you, that is my fourth priority out of four. This one came before, so it still is before that one. :) Also, while this fic is meant to have a lot of similarities with the original story for the moment, I promise the story will vary and have a differing plot at some point.

Information note: In guns, caliber refers to the approximate diameter of the barrel and by extension the projectile used in it, measured in inches or millimeters.

STAGE 4

**Old Friends Appear in Times of War**

The noise of war halted suddenly, as if a remote control's mute button had been pressed. Sophia watched how the battle below ceased. Nobody's eyes could help lingering in the corpse of Baron Brandon Carlson.

The Baron's body lied in the floor under a pool of blood that oozed from his head. Falling from 14 stories usually has that effect. It wasn't likely anyone at the moment suspected the cause of his death was actually a gun's bullet. His face's expression, though lifeless, showed inklings of fear. Maybe he had woken up from his trance at the last second of the existence the Princess of Britannia had forced him to end; it had been induced suicide, murder.

Heads eventually looked up to the upper floor's window from which the body had fallen.

Sophia had left the room as soon as Baron Carlson's body crashed to the ground. She now stood in the very rooftop, at a distance from the edge to avoid her shadow being seen, but she could see the ones below. The view was that of a battle that ended because there was no longer a reason to fight it. Her face was cunning and her eyes conniving.

She then turned to Z.Z., who simply stood there, looking at her keenly and silently. She turned her eyes to the nocturnal view of a dead battle again.

-How did you get here? – Sophia asked without turning to him. – You are still wearing those bloody clothes, not even bothered with camouflage. How could you have followed me up here without major consequences?

-I was seen. – He answered as-a-matter-of factly. – I just had to struggle with one, take his gun and run discreetly.

Sophia turned to him with an arched eyebrow. She really didn't understand who Z.Z., not even close, nor was she yet able to see a limit in what he was capable of.

Z.Z. walked to her side and stared outside without looking at her either.

-Did you cut your hand? – He guessed and wanted confirmation.

Indeed, Sophia was yet far from knowing Z.Z.'s abilities well. His senses seemed too well-trained to belong to an average being. His physical condition was above average, at the least. He also seemed to have experience handling handguns. Right when he had aimed for the head of the lackey of Sir King, so close to her, he shot without any problems. He had just told her he was capable of defeating a trained soldier in bodily combat. Apparently, he also happened to be observant, even of the smallest details such as her hand being bandaged.

-Yeah. – Was her simple reply.

She turned her head. Her eyes did not focus on Z.Z., though. Something else, close toa kilometer away, caught her eye.

Her violet eyes immediately widened as she recognized what she saw. Z.Z. looked in that direction too.

-Knightmare frames. – He spoke unfazed. – Do they belong to the Britannian Army? – He asked her.

-Not only do they belong to the Britannian Army, those frames are all colored white. That's the Marshal's Unit. – She replied frowning.

Sophia gritted her teeth. This was not part of her calculations for the night. Marshall Wellington, the highest ranking officer of the army, was there. While she would not lose in strategy-making to him and she found the thought of retreating highly unpleasant, she was aware that was just what she'd have to go for. The terrorists, considering their numbers and situation, had no chance of defeating a unit of at least fifty squads and several elite pilots and officers in Seventh Age Knightmare Frames, the best Britannia could offer.

-The Marshal of the Britannian Army is here? – He asked sounding a tad more disbelieving than confused. – Why would someone of his importance be here? I believe his duty is only to act under conditions more threatening than a mere terrorist attack.

-That is because there _is_ no way they could've organized the entire Marshal unit just for a terrorist attack. – Sophia confirmed with narrowed eyes. – He is called out for much more serious matters…

Sophia's eyes suddenly showed hindsight as she fell silent. She tightened her fists with anger as she understood. She didn't care about her cut hand palm anymore.

-Would the death of the Britannian Princess be considered a much more serious matter? – Z.Z. expressed as he understood too.

A realization began hitting Sophia, and her entire visage's expression was changing slowly, showing a scowl and curling one side of her lips downward in an upset gesture.

-Of course, why did I not see it earlier? Baron Carlson's armed forces were too much for mere precaution. He knew these terrorists would come after him tonight…! – It was then that her realization completed; her fists enclosed tightly and her scowl deepened. - That bastard had planned a bit further than I foresaw… - She said more calmly than expected.

-How further? – Z.Z. asked unfazed about her eyes that shone in understanding, looking as if in an epiphany, an inkling of something dangerous coming.

-Whatever means through which he found out of the terrorists' plans, he tried using that to his advantage. He's the one that called the Marshal's Unit here from the very beginning. He knew informing the Marshal of a threat to my life would be enough to get his forces moving. So he kidnapped me and tried to assassinate me. Once Wellington found out about the actions of the terrorist group, they would be blamed for my death without anyone bothering to look into it carefully. Because Baron Carlson would have 'tried' to help prevent my death, Schneizel would reward him by approving the commercial plan he's been trying to get approved for over a year already, which would obviously benefit him greatly, increasing his power and, like most nobles, he thinks that the more power falls into his hands, the more chances he'll have of obtaining the throne. – Sophia brought her injured hand to her forehead, and her fingers combed her front green hair, frustrated.

-What will you do then, Snow? – Z.Z. asked callously. – Can you come up with a plan to face the Marshal or will you escape?

She gritted her teeth and her hand's grasp on her head tightened. She paid no mind to her cut's stinging sensation. She did not like one bit the idea of escaping, but she did not have enough pieces to play in the board. No matter how good a plan she could come up with in such short notice, the conditions in which the terrorists forces were weren't close to threatening against the Marshal's Unit. She could not think of a plan to win against him.

_What would you do, Father? (…) _– Her face lit up. – _You wouldn't retreat. If your pieces can't go to battle, you would merely find another way to grasp victory without having to fight…_

Sophia took one more step to bring herself even closer to the shattered window. She had it. The way of grasping victory without fighting; she got it. A slight grin formed on her features before turning to Z.Z. She needed not to mention any word; he knew just by looking at her violet eyes she was not planning on escaping, but he knew she was aware the terrorists were no match to the Knightmare Frames approaching slowly.

-What will you do, Snow? – He asked again to inquire for more specific information.

-We'll have to avoid fighting, but we can still escape without the terrorists getting captured.

-Why go so far for just a group of terrorists? Did you see a lot of potential in them?

-Considering the menu of active terrorist groups isn't very varied, I believe this group might have the best shot; they are worth saving in order to see if they can be used as base.

-How will you do it?

Sophia smiled before explaining.

Meanwhile, below, the fight was resumed. Sir King's forces weren't oblivious to the corpse of their leader bleeding in the ground, but they, humans as they were, still fought despite knowing it was to no avail or cause.

In a matter of minutes, however, the rest of the forces began retreating as it hit them it was pointless to keep fighting.

-They're retreating. – Okazaki Syusuke announced, grinning.

-No kidding, you sure about that? 'Cause that would explain why we're no longer defending ourselves. – Sarcastic Tsugimoto Kaya replied, smiling discreetly with joy.

-It's over. – Shiro said, still in disbelief.

_She really did it._ – The three terrorists thought as they glanced up to a distinct broken window.

-Shiro, Kaya, Syusuke – San. – They heard Len call by the transmitter. – How are things going in your end?

-We won. – Shiro informed.

Len was bemused as he didn't sound as excited as one would figure triumph would get him. He heard the details from Syusuke. He couldn't believe the female voice commanding them had truly led them to victory.

Len himself was asked to report too and gave details concerning the released Eleven and the ship they'd use for transport, as well as the strange methods through which it all happened.

-Syusuke – San, I don't know what to think about it. – Len expressed seriously. - It's too suspicious, isn't it?

-Why? She just made some soldiers betray Sir King's forces and release a whole lot of prisoners. What would you find suspicious about that? – Kaya replied with snide Len did not appreciate.

-Syusuke – San. – Len insisted.

Syusuke Okazaki was like a leader to them, and the only one he'd address by 'San' out of respect.

-Suspicious as it is, she did give us what she promised. – Syusuke replied after a pause. – We might have to wait for further explanations.

-Tch. What an unimpressive leader. – Kaya insulted; she was the only one who did not address him respectfully.

-I don't know why… - Shiro talked all of a sudden. – But I have a strange feeling about that voice. I cannot really say what it is, but I agree we should give her a chance…

Kaya narrowed her eyes, Syusuke hummed in deep thought and Len's eyes grew more open, but nobody said a word. They decided to just accept Syusuke's decision.

Back in the abandoned factory, there were several armed men surrounding it from all angles and a few others inside, searching for Princess Sophia vi Britannia, Marshal Marshall Wellington included.

-Have you found her? – He asked reporting soldiers.

-Negative, sir. – They replied saluting. – We've looked everywhere in this factory but there is no trace of her.

-What about the room filled with chloroform gas?

-It's being looked into by a protected team, sir. While there is no body in that room, there are inklings of someone having been imprisoned there when the gas was released.

The Marshal nodded. He didn't doubt the Princess had been in that place, but it was odd. That was the second time an attempt to kill her took place within 24 hours, and this time was even clearer than before. Someone was truly trying to murder Britannia's Princess. It made nose sense to him for anyone to want to oppose Britannia's strength…

-Marshal Wellington, sir! – A man called him.

Wellington turned to meet a man that ran to where he was hastily and was all sweaty.

-Yes. – He let him talk.

-We've spotted a battle taking place nearby, sir! – He exclaimed despite seeming to be out of breath. - We suspect terrorists are involved. What are your orders?

Marshall Wellington frowned slightly. _Are terrorists really the ones behind this? It does not seem to fit. Why would they kill the Princess discreetly? Brandon Carlson is yet to specify how come he knew about this…_

-Sir! – Another man came in the same fashion as the previous one, getting his attention. – We believe the place where the terrorists fought a private army is being occupied by Sir King!

_Sir King. It is not secret his true identity is Baron Carlson._

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a noise from the ceiling. Right above them was the room where Sophia and Z.Z. had been locked and was currently (and unnecessarily) being investigated.

_The real question to investigate is how she managed to escape alive._

-Sir? – The first soldier to arrive asked. - What are your orders?

The Marshal's dark brown eyes turned to the already-stiff man in all their cool glory.

-The Marshal shall personally go to examine the location. – A voice began, attracting several heads' attention to himself. – A group of frame pilots must accompany him. Those terrorists daring to insult this nation must be captured and even tortured to see if they are connected to the kidnapping of our Princess, of course! That is the obvious way to proceed!

The Marshal of Britannia turned to the bespectacled man wearing white with a black cape.

-Are you giving me orders?

Rather than upset, Wellington looked as if he were suppressing the need to lift an eyebrow, like when a kid says an absurd joke, and that was not very common to see in a cold man like him.

-I am telling you what your orders should be! – The King's royal counselor exclaimed sounding nearly insulted. – The media might find out of this, do you want them to also publish the culprits were not captured? It would be a disgrace!

-What the press publishes is none of my concern. Besides, I do not suspect those terrorists had anything to do with this.

-Is that the response you want me to give to His Majesty? – Jonathan Lewis snarled indignant.

Wellington narrowed his eyes, starting to get impatient. He wasn't necessarily fond of the King's counselor.

-How is that man threatening the Marshal? – A soldier whispered to another from a distance. – The Marshal of Britannia is like the King's right hand…

-I AM THE KING'S RIGHT HAND! - Jonathan turned mad to the soldiers.

The soldiers looked like they had not suspected he'd have a keen sense of listening, though it was only keen when it came to insults for him.

Right that moment, Wellington's wristwatch made a sound to inform of an incoming video call. His face and posture straightened as he answered with a salutation.

-Your Majesty, sir. – He answered.

From the watch a flat projection of the King smiling deceivingly could be seen.

-Marshal Wellington. – Schneizel greeted. – I've been informed within this hour of my niece's abduction. I request for your report on the situation.

-The place where we were told we'd find the Princess is empty. There is no trace of the Princess yet, but there is no doubt she was held here.

-I see… – Schneizel put on a sad face. – My poor niece. To think someone is restlessly attempting to murder her without letting even a day pass. She must be devastated.

Before Wellington could offer some sort of condolences (though Sophia wasn't dead), Jonathan took his wrist and aimed it at his own face.

-Your Majesty, there is something else Marshal Wellington has not reported.

After a minute of countless hyperboles of Britannia's greatness and the offense they should feel towards the terrorists for daring to attack the same Princess he had hours ago said to she was better off dead, Schneizel turned to the Marshal and gracefully asked him to look into that group of terrorists to be able to discard any possibility of his dear niece having been put through such an awful mishaps by them. The Marshal's only choice was to comply with a salutation.

Wellington retired to his quarters, which consisted of a mobile tall structure. It was ideal for a Marshal. He could see everything happening in a battle below while planning a winning strategy.

He sat and massaged his brow with one hand. He didn't like dealing with Jonathan Lewis, though he was not the only one.

Suddenly, he heard three knocks on his door.

-Come in. – He said suppressing a sigh.

The door opened and a very young woman, a teenager for that matter, appeared. She wore a uniform worn only by elite frame pilots of the Marshal's Unit, consisting of grey pants and jacket with a black tie around the neck and knee-high black boots. She was 1.69 meters tall, had very short curly black hair, skin tanned by the sun that was originally pale, and almond-shaped lime green eyes. She could be considered attractive, especially with her enviable fit body with flat abs, nice and firm limbs, small though strong hands and C-cup chest. She had an air of seriousness in her, but also a lively gaze that revealed she was a dreamer and her voice was not really that of a cold woman.

-Marshal, sir. – She saluted with notorious discipline in her every feature, and it somehow didn't look suiting in her.

-What is it, Smith? – Wellington said straightforwardly.

-I humbly request you to let me head out with you and the selected pilots. – Smith spoke solemnly while bowing.

-Why would you be interested in going? Finding the Princess is more important than terrorists.

Smith straightened her back and looked at him determined.

-I have an idea, a plan, sir. – She replied.

-Which of the two is it? – Wellington asked with little patience in his undertone.

-According to the last report, the team that examined the room with modified phosgene assures the blood found on the ground is only hours old and is enough for someone to have died from so much loss. It does not seem to belong to Princess Sophia, but the team affirms it is likely she was there with that unidentified person whose corpse is missing.

-How does that relate to what you're asking me?

Wellington narrowed his dark brown eyes but did not faze her in the least. Those vivid and gorgeous lime eyes belonged to an unflappable spirit, and Wellington knew that. Under no other circumstances or explanations a half Eleven would be part of his elite unit.

-One way or another, the Princess managed to escape, but what if she was found and taken again? – She questioned. – I have come up with an idea to look for her such that I would not be noticed, and then it would be possible to rescue the Princess without either her or us running high risks. Sir, I am not requesting to be part of the group accompanying you in fighting the terrorists, I am asking you to consider my plan to go hidden and search for the Princess there.

The Marshal of Britannia scowled, measuring what her point was. While it was possible to believe that, putting aside that he couldn't understand how the Princess escaped in the first place, he had his doubts about the rest. He knew well, especially after what had happened earlier that day when he and the Counselor met her, that Sophia vi Britannia was not just any foolish and insignificant girl who had nothing but status. He doubted she would've fallen into the terrorists' grasp after escaping; that was, _if_ the terrorists were really the ones behind it. Only he was thinking that was just a possibility rather than a fact. While it made good sense, he couldn't shrug off the sensation it was too fitting, that something was not right there; something was suspicious. He did, however, have to act according to the King's orders…

-We don't have a lot of time; explain the plan already, Smith. – He ceded.

The three terrorist Knightmare frames were on their way to reunite with Len when a familiar girl's voice called them.

-Q two, three and four, you must not head to the pier where Q1 is. – She ordered.

-May we enquire why? – Syusuke asked.

-Tch. What the heck, Syusuke? – Kaya shouted. – Look, you brat, we don't follow your orders anymore. We already won, so you've got nothing left for us to obey you.

Sophia grinned at Kaya's challenge. She liked obedient pawns better, but she always smiled when she was about to make a daring tone change with the next move; it was a sweet sensation for her.

-The Marshal of Britannia's Unit is approaching. – She spoke slowly and clearly, determinately.

All three pilots' eyes widened in shock.

-What did you say? – Kaya exclaimed with more panic than anger.

-So you are aware of the power of the Marshal's Unit. Then you shouldn't need much convincing to retreat, Q3.

Kaya growled, but that was all she did. She knew well there was nothing she could say to her to bite back. Angered, she shut up.

-What about Len? – Shiro asked angry. – You expect us to abandon him?

-Worry not, Q2. I'll look after him.

The three Q's listened to her with surprise; they just didn't expect her to be the kind to care about one life.

Shiro's heartbeats told him he was already believing in her, a stranger, trusting her to save whom he considered his closest friend's life, and he found it so easy to do that he could hardly believe it since his very head was still hesitant.

-Is it not time for introductions yet? – He asked the voice.

-Not yet. – Sophia responded.

Shiro couldn't reply anything as she cut down the transmission before giving him that chance.

_Who are you?_ – He asked with something close to anxiety. – _Why do I feel strange about you when I've only heard you?_

While Shiro was thinking and escaping with the other two at the same time, Sophia contacted Len.

-The Marshal's Unit is approaching. – She let the words out straight, like facts and with no tact.

Len's heart skipped a beat. The Marshal's Unit was not something he hadn't heard of. He was aware of the power it possessed with a large number of squads and several Eight and Seventh Age Knightmare frames. All of that was coming to him. He felt done for already.

-What did you say? – Len asked aggravated without screaming, though he wanted to. – The Marshal's Unit is coming?

-You must stay there and make sure the prisoners get on that ship to escape, Q1. – Sophia repeated to him.

-How can you believe that would happen when what could be several elite pilots in Seventh and Eight Age Knightmare Frames are coming this way? – His undertone could still not top a whisper from the shock and nervousness.

-For a terrorist, your faith in miracles is quite lousy.

-I'm being serious here! – He could finally yell, much to his throat's relief.

Sophia paused, grinning on the other side of the line.

-Have I given you a reason not to trust me so far, Q1?

-Just because you helped us before doesn't mean you can't betray us now.

-It would have been pointless helping you earlier, then.

Len could not think of a rebuttal.

-You'll have to trust me. – She finished before ending the call.

_She doesn't ask for my trust, she expects it… And I can't refuse to give it to her. Even though it's against my will, I already trust you, whoever you might be. I know this is not smart, but it is what it is…_

He continued waiting for the free prisoners to aboard the ship. He looked at each of their Japanese faces and he knew it was worth waiting there to protect them. _Kotaro would've done it without hesitating._

-All instructions delivered. – Sophia spoke softly after ending the call.

She wasn't really speaking to anyone in particular, so Z.Z. didn't bother replying. Z.Z. only stood where he was.

Sophia could see him from the far corner of her right eye. For a while already, it had picked her attention that Z.Z. seemed incapable of getting bored; he would always stand still as a statue, never even blinking.

_Yuuki could do the same._ - Sophia's irises contracted.

She stopped her own train of thoughts and turned her face away from Z.Z.'s visual reach.

_Why am I thinking of her now of all times?_ – Sophia asked herself in disbelief.

Her expression changed momentarily. A mixture of different emotions could be appreciated in her porcelain face.

Sophia reached for her uniform, which was dirty and blood-stained at that point, and took something from inside her skirt's pocket. It was a pocket watch. She did not need it to tell the time, for she already had a wristwatch for that. She opened it and looked like she was pondering hard about doing something in specific with what she had in her hand. A sigh on her part indicated she gave up in doing whatever she had in mind.

_How long has it been since I last thought of her? How long has it been since I turned the black button? How long has it been since I've dared to look at the picture? _– Even though it was an inward thought, she still could only whisper it.

-Snow? – Z.Z. asked her suddenly.

Sophia returned to the real world, closing the lid of the pocket watch in the process, before she turned to face him. She was slightly grateful to him for that, though he would never know what he did for her. She didn't want to be in that hole of angst again. For years, she had done her very best to avoid falling in it again.

Z.Z. could see her somewhat startled face. He knew she was thinking of something else, though not what it was specifically. Belike, it had something to do with that pocket watch. However, he was not the kind that pried into others' business, and that time was not the exception. He was not that interested either.

-Yes, what is it? – Sophia finally understood he had called her.

Z.Z. closed his eyelids. Despite setting those barriers between their eyes, his body still moved to face another direction.

-Will you do anything while we wait for the Marshal's Unit? – He asked.

-There's not much we can do. We mostly wait. I've already thought of several possibilities and options… Once they come close enough, I'll cover the rest of the distance.

Z.Z. knew she was only attempting to appear alright. Because he knew that, her attempt was a failure.

-You remembered something, didn't you? – Z.Z. opened his eyes but did not look at her.

'I just remembered whom I got my temper from', she was about to tell him.

-It's nothing. – She lied after all.

He knew it was a lie. He could tell 'nothing' was 'something', and 'something' was evidently very important to her.

He let silence take in briefly. He turned to her again. This time it was her who avoided looking at him directly in the ocean blue eyes.

-Earlier… - He began, catching her attention and look, still not to his eyes. – Earlier, you said I hide myself from your sight, 'putting up barriers', using your own words.

Sophia turned her head sideways with a displeased frown.

-I am not reproaching you for it, Snow. I am merely asking you to understand there are things we can't just say to others.

-That's not it. – She whispered, but she was loud enough to be heard. – It's not the same. – She still wouldn't look his way when she lowered her eyes. – You block yourself entirely from me. I haven't hidden anything from you yet, Z.Z…

Her lips continued moving, but her voice didn't. Z.Z. was not the most accurate lip-reader, but he could make out 'I just don't want to talk about it. I don't want to remember it'. He hadn't seen before that time her pink lips move so feebly.

Z.Z. crossed his arms in front of his chest disapprovingly.

-I shall remind you where you are standing right now, Snow. – He said gravely. – That portrayal is far too weak. If you really plan to stand in Zero's shadow, then you must do better than this, much better.

-How did you…? – Sophia finally turned to his face.

-Remember I can listen to your heart.

-Of course, that makes sense. – She said sarcastic.

There was an awkward pause next. Z.Z. wouldn't lose to her there, however. He was not only superior to her in physical strength, he also, as she noted before (and then deviated into the current situation), he doesn't mind silence and waiting. That was not her case. Of course she'd fold. She blurted out a random out of the many questions she had in mind about him, anything that would break the silence would do.

-Z.Z., how come you have your Geass and the Code? I thought you had to exchange one for the other. The only one who had both was…

-I will not answer any questions, Snow. – He interrupted straightforwardly.

-Why not? – She asked blankly.

One would assume she'd feel insulted, angry, something. She didn't. Her voice sounded void for that reason, she didn't react to those words. In truth, she did want to know, but she didn't feel the need to know that moment. She asked out of necessity to speak, not to listen.

-They're close. – He commented.

Sophia turned outside. It was time. She made a bet with herself. If she could pull it off, she might have one tenth of what was necessary to follow the steps of Lelouch vi Britannia.

Sophia took a deep breath. In a brief instant, she was able to return to who she was moments ago, a focused and resolved person willing to play the game of war.

-I better hurry. Q1 will only be able to hold against the Marshal's Unit for so long, and he's about to call me any minute. What will you do, Z.Z.?

-I do not know. – He said dully.

-Do what you want. It does not matter to me unless it interferes with my plans. – She replied coldly, right before closing the door behind her.

When the freed slaves were sailing the waters to escape, Len picked up the transmitter.

He wanted to know where the others were, but he got no response. The others had probably turned off the transmitters so they wouldn't be detected

Len was about to try with Kotaro's radio transmitter but stopped in the middle. Kotaro was dead; he knew that but was yet to process it completely. He also realized that calling Kotaro's transmitter meant to call _her_. He thought about it a minute. Actually, that wasn't such a bad idea; he had to anyways.

-Do you hear me? – He called her.

-Loud and clear, Q1. – She replied.

-The ship has sailed. – He informed.

-Good. – She replied simply.

Len noticed how unsurprised she was at his report. He himself felt it was a miracle he had managed to achieve their original goal that night, to free the prisoners…

-Have the others moved? – He asked.

-Yes.

-Why did they turn off their transmitters?

-To not be detected by the Unit's tracking systems. – She replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

It was obvious. He himself knew the reason before asking, and he asked anyways. However, he didn't like that tone in her, unreasonable as it was to feel offended for that. After all, at so advanced a point in the early morning, he should know better than to expect good manners or soothing courtesy from that voice. That time, nonetheless, she did sound different. She didn't sound as objective, straightforward and focused as she had earlier.

_What's with her all of a sudden?_ – Len lifted an eyebrow.

Little did he know Sophia on the other side of the line was conscious of what she sounded like and was scowling as well. She was still struggling due to the happenings that were only minutes old.

_Once the door of memories is opened, closing it is too hard…_ - She mused. – _Curse it. I cannot mess this up. __I cannot__._

-Where-?

-Is your frame equipped with anything particularly advantageous? – Sophia interrupted him.

Len frowned skeptical for the nature of that question.

-It might. – He refused to sound submissive.

Sophia grinned. She knew what 'it might' actually meant… _Perhaps I underestimated these people a bit. Only slightly._

-Why do you ask that all of a sudden? – He enquired.

-There's not much time to give you that many details. – She replied.

Len suppressed the urge to growl at her. _That bitch just told me there is no need for me to know them, didn't she? Who the hell does this girl think she is?_

He calmed down, remembering the situation he was in.

-Where do I join the others? – He asked while attempting to sound tranquil, but Sophia would not be tricked.

-You won't be joining them. – She replied simply. Her voice was tactless; her words came down like a judge's gavel for which his head acted as block.

Len stopped breathing. He was paralyzed. He felt as if she had injected fear into his bloodstream with 4 words. Even courageous and willful men can be frightened at the thought of facing an army alone.

-You don't have enough time to escape. The Unit will arrive where you are in less than five minutes. – Sophia continued informing and, shocked as he was, Len couldn't tell her to stop. – It's useless to escape either way as they can find you easily with their tracking systems. The others aren't safe either.

-What do I do then? – He asked; his voice began showing anxiety. – What are we supposed to do?

-You can't do anything, Q1.

Len hands tightened on the controls. Those were the words he had feared hearing from that stranger all night long, and now was the worst time for her to say them.

-Are you abandoning us? – He asked.

He wanted to sound angry, betrayed, insult her and call her a bitch or a traitor or both, but the reality was another story. He even sounded skeptical, he sounded as confused as someone who thought misheard anything, as if he actually couldn't believe a perfect stranger he had never met would do that to him and the others. He had said it himself earlier, though not aloud…

'Even though it's against my will, I already trust you, whoever you might be.' Those had been his words. He was recalling them, and they felt like a punch in the face that brief yet long instant.

-Is what's happening too much for you to handle, Q1?

-Of course it is! It damn well is! – Len shouted at her non-present person.

-Then I'm disappointed at you. I don't have any further use or instructions for someone so weak.

-'Further use'? What the fuck do you want? Who the fuck are you and what do you frigging want from us? What was your purpose to help us in the first place? You've been working for the cursed government all along, haven't you?

He had been successful in sounding like he intended to. Part of him truly had those questions present, but another still felt skeptical to believe what the conundrum girl was really trying to do. That other part surely was annoying. Len just ignored it for the moment.

A pause took place.

-I am not doing this for the government. – She replied serious. – Who I am is my secret. Me telling you what I want from you all is up to you, and you only, Len.

Len was ready to reply but went mute after hearing her voice uttering his name for the first time. It took him aback momentarily.

Sophia had heard the other Q's calling his name enough times to know what to call him as well. She also was aware of the names of Q3 and Q4, Syusuke and Kaya. She already knew Syusuke was like their leader, always having the suffix 'San' added to his name. She also knew Kaya was a violent and aggressive woman, which was good. Those characteristics were seldom desired in a person, but they played out faily advantageously in combat. She knew Len and Q2, who was the only one whose name she still hadn't heard, were close friends and were alike. It's interesting how much only voices can say about their owners.

-When will you tell us any of that? After we die in the hands of Marshal Wellington? – Len asked gravely.

-Talking to corpses is absurd. – Sophia shook her head on the other side of the line. – Besides, you're not going to die.

He wasn't there with her, but he knew she shook her head. He was well-aware she didn't consider him a genius. That was her. He was her pawn.

-Is this all a damn game to you? – Len asked, sounding angrier.

Sophia didn't expect that question to come up. How appropriate. It was more appropriate than the asker realized.

She could not be entirely certain, for she wasn't a Psychology student, but the undertone he used didn't seem to be in accordance with his questions. He was actually trying her. He wanted to believe if her last sentence was meant. She decided to give that to him.

_Give him something small; that will be enough for him to follow. He'll follow to get more._ – She concluded.

-War is not a game, but it is played much like one. The difference is that this has a much greater purpose than entertainment. For most of history, the causes of war have been imbecile, so much that it makes war look as a means of entertainment for nations. However, I am here right now because I have a reason to be. Just like you have a reason for which you've put your life on the line, I have a reason for which I've commanded it tonight.

Len was speechless. The voice of that stranger had been more than appealing; determination reverberated from it.

_You…_ - Len thought. – _If you really are on our side…What is your reason and purpose?_

-What is your name? – He asked her softly.

-Along with what I want from you, I might tell you, but that depends on you.

Those words ended being the last he heard from her that time. She turned off the radio immediately, not giving him a chance to reply.

Not five seconds passed before Len spotted the approaching Marshal's Unit pilots in their frames, less than 100 meters from where his battered Glasgowstood. There were seven Gareth and three Vincent Ward, the intended mass production of the legendary Lancelot, though they definitely weren't as powerful. Of course they wouldn't bring every one of their many pilots and go all out against mere terrorists. Heck, those probably weren't even the best of the elite pilots; the best ones used Eight Age models. Britannian pride wouldn't allow the famous Unit, the image of Britannia's great military power, to do such outrageous things.

The Gareth were at the front and the three Vincents at the back. Close to 200 meters behind them, Len spotted a gargantuan mobile 9-meter-tall structure that resembled a building, and its grey stone iron looks definitely made honor to its purpose and name, the renowned War Tower, the Marshal of Britannia's command center. Its height permitted the terrorist to detect it without much problem despite the distance.

Len knew he didn't stand the most remote chance against them. Shiro could barely take care of one, and his frame was equipped with MVS to use as a last resort. It was too late to run, he was within their sight, most probably made a target by then.

He was baffled at first; the War Tower had that effect on many. He gulped in an attempt to get control of himself back, but he needed two more in order to blink and at last take a deep breath.

_There's no choice. You'll have to face them, Len._ – He told himself.

He looked at his adversaries, coming closer and closer with each second. Len's Glasgow assumed a fighting stance.

_I should've piloted a Gloucester today, like Shiro… _- He thought. - _No, not even then would I have a decent chance, what I need is at the very least a darn Vincent…Or a miracle…Or both. _- He undid his own lie.

'You are not going to die.' 'It depends on you.' That's what she had told him. Had she just played with him while she indeed have another plan to help him and heroically save him when he feels he's about to lose? Had she merely spoken without any basis, just to make him feel better? No, that didn't sound like her. If he felt he knew anything for sure about the voice's owner was that she wasn't that nice. Nice people don't usually guide people in the game of killing one another called war.

Len recalled the voice, from which he wanted to know more, a whole lot more.

-Some timing she has. – He said with calmness of origins he himself didn't know.

Then he and three other Gareth clashed.

Len's brittle Glasgow only had his determination to stand a slight chance against them. He wanted to win. He wanted to make Kotaro's life be worth something. He wanted to achieve what was once achieved before thanks to Zero, the epitome of hope, victory and glory, and the mighty Black Knights. He wanted to know more of that voice. He wanted to do the impossible, and he was really going to try at it.

Despite his disadvantage in equipment, he still had a major weapon he could use that represented a small light of hope: His talent. He was a talented pilot. Both he and Shiro were. However, Shiro was better at working under a plan he himself came up with, and he had to admit he was truly brilliant with those, and, differently, Len was at his best when fighting in the spur of the moment. Len knew he had more chances than Shiro at making it in that battle.

_Did she know that and send me here and not Shiro, who had a better frame? (…) Nah, no way she's that good._

Len happened to be so skilled that he could give himself the luxury of thinking something unrelated to the situation in the back of his head even then, while he evaded attacks, maneuvered lithely and delivered attacks to their backs. It was shocking to many of the Gloucester pilots to see a terrorist of such a skilled level, apparently better than them.

Len continued restlessly, and as he did more backups charged against him. His Glasgow was being shot with bullets and grenades but he could still manage to move such that they didn't hit any important parts of his frame. Fortunately, at the very least, his Glasgow's armor had been reinforced before their attack since it was the weakest Knightmare frame of the team. Sure enough, he didn't foresee this would happen, so, back then, he had no idea how much that would mean for his life that night.

On standby, the Vincent Ward, the elite pilots, observed Len. One of them whistled with surprise and then placed his permanent smile back in his face.

-Look at that terrorist; he's the craziest one I've seen yet! – He said with characteristic excitement. –Did anybody know those still existed? Heheheheh.

-He's a terrorist. What did you expect? – Another one answered with a voice that conveyed his superiority complex nicely. – Facing us all by himself, in a Glasgow no less. He isn't just demented, he's obviously stupid, an Eleven.

-He might be both crazy and stupid. – A third one suggested calmly, immediately getting the other two's attention. - Nonetheless, we must give him some credit.

-What idiocies are you saying, Ivan? – He replied indignant. – Are you complimenting terrorists?

-I'm merely stating the truth, Jim. – The other replied, not minding Jim's perfectly-usual tone; one could tell he was even smiling. - Do you not see the good beating he's giving to the Gareth pilots?

-Those are just inferior ranks! – Jim snarled.

-Heheheheh. He's got guts and is not half bad.

-Shut up, Cheshire! - Jim sounded clearly irritated, making it obvious he had heard the other's laughter more than he liked.

-But Cheshire is right, Jim. – Ivan answered with all of his monotone's glory. - That terrorist's skills are quite rare. Who knows, he might be promising enough to be a fun opponent.

-Do you think this is a game?

-War is no different from a game, Jim. – Ivan answered, still calm, but his calmness sounded eerie that time as it had his voice's unwavering ease of mind.

That instant, the terrorist they were talking about pushed off balance one of the Gareth. By then, only 3 of the original 7 remained. Taken by surprise, the others were too slow to react to him attacking them from the back and damaging their pilot cockpits, not about to give them the opportunity to eject to safety. As a final touch, he kicked the center of two and punched the third's. He defeated seven pilots of the Marshal's Unit in a Glasgow, and he didn't have a scratch, at least not one caused by those units specifically.

Len's forehead broke a sweat; he was utterly concentrated. He felt good, standing in the middle of those knocked down units. Standing up again after the damage he caused to their cockpits would jeopardize the pilots' bodies.

_This was only a warm-up. _– Len thought half-bitterly. - _Those bastards sent their weakest puppets first. Those Vincent Ward in the very back are the actual deal… I won't go all out until they come forth. Like I'd give them the luxury of thinking they'll get rid of me with that crap!_

-I won't lose. – He told the army he faced alone, knowing nobody was interested in hearing him, and he said it with a confident grin.

Effectively, more reinforcements with other frames came forward and attacked head-on but without success. Len was sure he would make it. Though he did not know what whoever that girl was had in mind, he knew she'd step forth when the time was right. How he knew that, he didn't know.

Above, a group of dark clouds eclipsed the waning moon, making it even tougher to see in the pitch black forest shore.

It has already been close to half an hour since elite pilot of the Marshal's Unit Smith seeped into the dark forest. To mix with the darkness, she wore black clothes and a black cotton mask that only let her almond-shaped green eyes visible. She had one plain goal: To look for the Princess of Britannia. While not necessarily simple, it was a plain objective.

_If I found her…I wonder what it would be like._ – Smith thought. – _It's been a very long time, hasn't it, Yuki?_

Smith suddenly heard sounds of an approaching person. She hid behind a tree trunk and waited for the person to come from the right.

Not three seconds later, a shadow was coming. Smith's trained vision could distinguish plenty of facts with just a far glance despite the obscurity.

_The way that person runs suggests a woman. Dark green uniform. A helmet covers her face. She's got blood stains on her clothes, but it doesn't look like she's hurt that severely. Rather than a large weapon, she's just carrying a handgun; its caliber can't possibly be more than 0.28. _– Smith narrowed her eyes. – _Who could that be? A terrorist? Possibly._

Sophia was taken aback when a blurry dark shadow jumped in front of her. She instinctively jumped back but tripped, making it utterly obvious she was no trained soldier. Hence, in Smith's head, the chances of her being a terrorist increased dramatically.

Smith pointed a much bigger gun at Sophia, who had not even had the chance to stand up and had no clue about the rifle's name.

Unlike Smith, Sophia was barely able to see anything. Nature was against her since the moon was hidden. Moreover, she dropped the handgun she stole when she fell back and now it was beyond her reach.

_Darn it. In this darkness I can't possibly use Geass on this guy._

-I will only ask you once, terrorist, and you better answer truthfully.

The shadow's female voice surprised Sophia. Now that she looked at her closely, she did have a bulging chest, around the same as her. Her tone was not harsh like one would expect from a dexterous female soldier, conspicuously from the Marshal's Unit. She even sounded to be around the same age as her. Strangely enough, something about her felt rather familiar. More interestingly, she had spoken to her in Japanese; that girl confused her with a terrorist, somehow. Although, in truth, that was not an inaccurate assumption.

-Where is Princess Sophia vi Britannia?

If Sophia was surprised before, now she was perplexed.

-The Princess of Britannia, you say? – She asked back blankly, also in Japanese.

Smith scowled beneath her mask. She walked closer, crouched and hit Sophia's lower chest with the barrel of her rifle.

Sophia growled. That was one hit she got. That soldier's brute strength was no joke, and that gun seemed to weigh at least 3 kilograms too. It indeed hurt.

Before she could blink, the soldier grabbed her by the bloody collar and lifted her upper body roughly and apparently without much effort.

-I'm not playing games here! You kidnapped the Princess and tried to poison her with chloroform! Although she survived, she has not made contact with anybody yet, and the Marshal's Unit has been tracking her down for over 40 minutes and no trace of her has been found! You are holding on to her, aren't you, you terrorist? Where is she?

_Well done, Baron Carlson. If you were alive, everything would've played just like you planned…_ - Sophia thought while her heart was beating fast.

She was in quite the pinch, unable to use Geass or even reach her handgun while the other girl had a good grip on her collar, and her nape was starting to ache. Yet she was entranced in those eyes. Something about those lime green eyes was really bugging her memories, but she could not yet remember where she had seen them before.

-We do not know anything about the Princess. – Sophia replied softly; talking hurt as she felt her cheek beginning to swell up.

Before she could explain further, Smith hit her good on the stomach. Sophia grimaced and growled. The soldier's grip on her collar tightened.

-Don't lie to me, terrorist bitch! Where is the Princess? She darn better be alive and well. You better not have hurt Yuki!

Sophia's racing heart stopped for an instant. She suppressed a gasp as she put all the pieces together.

_Yuki? This temper. Those eyes…_ _It can't be…!_

-Yuuki…? – She whispered almost inaudibly, paralyzed with shock.

-What was tha…?

Smith didn't finish that question before a bullet grazed her head, such that her mask slid down her face and fell to cover nothing but her neck, revealing her face at last to the person who needed to see it the most.

Coincidentally, the clouds that hid the moon from the world retired for the night. The waning moon's soft pale light that shone upon Officer Smith looked brighter than a spotlight from Sophia's point of view.

Sophia gawked. Her violet irises trembled as they managed to absorb the soldier's details; her curly black hair, vivid eyes and snub nose all matched her mental picture. Sophia was yet to realize she was not breathing.

_It really is you… Yuuki…!_ - That was all that crossed her mind while mute from stupor.

Yuuki Smith turned to see the origin of that bullet. Nearly 10 meters to their left, a shadow was approaching them. This time it was a man.

She narrowed her eyes when she saw him aiming at her again and quickly jumped away to evade a second bullet.

When she landed a meter and a half away from stunned Sophia, she looked again at the man and distinguished the unusually vivid red tone in his hair. Also, unlike the girl in the ground, he was a lot more dexterous in combat, she could tell.

Smith shot at him, but Z.Z. moved in time to dodge the bullet, which almost grazed him. That didn't stop him from continuing getting closer.

Smith got serious. Her aiming was well-known in the regiment where she belonged; dodging a bullet shot by her was something few could accomplish. Whoever that man was, he was not to be underestimated.

Sophia had had the chance to stand up for five seconds but was still lying in the ground with her elbows supporting her back's weight. Her mind was oblivious to where they were or what she was doing there in the first place.

Z.Z. stood next to Sophia. A quick glance with the side of his left eyes was enough for him to determine she was not hurt. Other than that, he would not take his blue eyes off the female soldier nor would he lower his gun. Smith was in the same situation. The barrels of their respective guns were centimeters away from each other. They were at an impasse. It all went down to a mental game of who would shoot first. The fact that he was standing up to her 0.45-caliber rifle with a 0.45 semiautomatic handgun, and he was at par too, did not matter.

-What are you doing, Snow? – He whispered.

Sophia was shaken back into reality with Z.Z.'s voice. She looked up to the red-haired man and then at the girl who just earlier had her caught by the collar. That was the second time that morning that he arrived with heroic timing in his bloody and dirty clothes to heroically save her royal ass. _What is Z.Z. doing here? Was he following me again?_

Knowing how concentrated the soldier was, Z.Z. bent his knees, and she shot.

Z.Z. leaned back his upper body the second he crouched; he made her miss.

Sophia had been frustratingly attempting to scream at the situation. _This can't be happening._ At last, her forehead broke a sweat. She had not foreseen any of this.

When Z.Z. straightened up, he aimed his gun at Smith, who was still recovering from having missed him before. He knew she wouldn't have time to react.

As Z.Z. began pulling the trigger, motion slowed down for Sophia's mind. Her pupils dilated as they knew what he shooting would mean. _Yuuki…_

-DON'T! – Sophia screamed, making up having been unable to utter a sound before.

Her voice was not as fast as her mind. Z.Z. shot… While he was shooting, his eyes turned to look at Sophia. He was about to give her a questioning look when he learned the cartridge was empty.

Sophia's heart raced while Z.Z. realized he was out of bullets.

Yuuki Smith's eyes themselves were wide with surprise. As the thought of how she had had luck for not being dead that second crossed her mind, Z.Z. discarded the handgun. Merely being empty made it useless in those circumstances. Nevertheless, he would not let her get the advantage. She was still processing the fact that she was lucky when Z.Z. kicked the rifle she held.

Smith reacted at last and kicked back, but Z.Z. dodged it and returned a punch which grazed her. They began moving while engaged in the old-fashioned art of hand-to-hand combat.

Clumsily, Sophia stood up; first on her knees, then on her feet. She blinked nonstop as her eyes shifted their focus.

She first saw Yuuki Smith moving lithely like the trained soldier Sophia knew she was. Then she saw Z.Z., blocking her every punch, expertly bending his knees and then jumping into midair to throw her attacks from more diverse angles. Still, she wouldn't fall short in comparison to him. He was 177 cm tall while she was 169, but she could still put up a fight against him. Apparently, she was good enough to make Z.Z. take off his bloody coat to move more freely.

She was at first clueless as to what to do. Then, her handsome prince in the bloody suit shot her a look that pretty much asked 'what the hell are you waiting for?', and that was enough to make her remember what her goal was.

_So much for following the steps of Zero._ – She berated herself.

Sophia ran to where she originally headed, not daring to look back.

X Flashback X

It was a cold afternoon. The wind blowing had been icy for three days straight. Just-turned-fourteen Sophia sat under a leafless tree behind her dorm's building hugging her knees. Her green hair used to be much longer then that it is in the present, and it was a mess. Her fringe covered her eyes, which were smarting after having shed multitudinous tears and had pitch black bags under them as proof of her restlessness in the past 3 days.

Three days had passed since she last saw Samuel. All he left behind for her was a note in which he addressed himself as 'Shiro'. Sophia had not let go of that paper sheet for one moment in those three days, and the only word she had uttered was his name.

She looked at it again for the umpteen times ten elevated to the eleventh time. At that point, the white paper sheet was crumbled. In four places, its ink had run because of her tears landing in the writing. Even though it only worsened her pain, she continued sobbing; she couldn't help it. Those 3 days seemed faint to her; she still didn't know what to believe. The fear of him not coming back wouldn't go away, no matter how many times she read the line 'I promise you I'll be back to give you the details'.

-Ah, there you are! – A lively and dreamy voice shook her into reality.

She barely heard the voice, but she could tell it belonged neither to Andrea nor, unfortunately, her brother. Superintendent Ashford had left earlier that morning to celebrate Christmas with her relatives, as had everybody else in campus. There was only one other possible person to whom the voice could belong.

-You're never going to get better from your cold if you sit here in this cold, Yuki. – The owner of the voice expressed.

Sophia's reply was silence. She did not even nod or lift her gaze. She didn't do as much as acknowledging she heard her. Nonetheless, the speaker did anything but get discouraged. She smiled instead while sitting next to the green-haired girl. Her short curly black hair was toyed with by the wind as she sat with her legs crossed, and that somehow made her smile seem more beautiful.

-If Andrea sees you, she's going to scold you. – She told her softly. - She'll probably also take it on me as well. – She laughed.

-Samuel… - Sophia whispered without looking up. – He's gone, Yuuki.

-Andrea told me about it. – Yuuki replied with a more serious look, but without letting her smile disappear. – But it's fine, right? – She pointed to the paper Sophia held. - He told you in that note that he plans to return, didn't he?

Sophia looked up at last. She did not have a mirror at hand but was aware she looked ungodly, yet neither Yuuki nor her smile flinched.

-I do not know if I can believe that. – She responded.

-Why is that? – Yuuki looked at her, still amiable.

-I don't know. He did not sound convincing, or like his usual self, for that matter… - Sophia lowered her legs, letting her torso and neck be visible, and she turned to look at Yuuki gravely. – Reading this can only make me think he was trying to not make me worried. That would be just like him… He didn't even tell me when he'd be back. It's been three days, already. He could come back today, next week, next spring! – She bit her lip momentarily. – What am I supposed to do in the meantime? He's always been my support when it comes to _him_. Now I'm supposed to face him alone? Go to the stupid monthly dances by myself…? I'm scared, Yuuki.

Sophia shed two more tears. She could not suppress a shudder either. Yuuki could tell it was not because she was cold.

Yuuki's smile dimmed, but it was still there. She also lowered lifted one of her legs and used her knee to support her face's side. Her face which then reflected some worry looked straight at Sophia.

-True enough. – She admitted. – But you know, Yuki? Samuel didn't leave you alone.

Sophia's grave face became confused, as her violet eyes showed.

-I can't go to palace balls with you, nor can I defend you from the King, but I am here now, am I not?

Sophia's lips trembled when they felt Yuuki's warm hand wiping off her two freezing tears.

-I'll wait for you to get out of each dance. I'll listen to your whining of Schneizel, so you don't go insane and take each and every comment he throws at you. As long as I'm here, I'll be your support.

As soon as she finished that sentence, her right index finger pushed back Sophia's head.

-Take off that face already. – She told her in a sisterly way.

Sophia was at first surprised. Yuuki laughed. Her laughter was anything but melodious, yet Sophia never minded that. To her, her laughter was always sincere and authentic.

Sophia liked being with Yuuki. She was usually a carefree person. She was very different from her. One could tell that even from the way they sat. The difference in them at that moment was clear. Yuuki was a tomboy. Sophia was raised to be more ladylike, but Yuuki had influence in her that was visible since then and even more in the future. Being with her, someone unrelated to her being a Princess, someone who didn't care at all about her countenance, was comforting.

Sophia's lips pulled off something close to a grin, an inkling of encouragement after three days of crying and trembling nonstop. Yuuki's smile livened up as a result. She showed her toothy smile in her usual carefree manner that made Sophia feel so at ease.

-By the way… - Yuuki began by throwing her a little box. – You haven't opened my present! I found it still wrapped in your room when I was looking for you. That is very rude, Lady Sophia. – She teased by mimicking Andrea.

Sophia let out a soft laugh. To Yuuki, that was a good start.

-And I was thinking I might have been rude for not giving you a separate present for Christmas! – She continued teasing.

-Sorry about that, Yuuki.

-It's cool. It's a day late already, but open it anyways. – She grinned.

Sophia nodded calmly and began taking off the plain blue wrapping slowly, with keen carefulness.

-What are you doing? – Yuuki asked lifting an eyebrow. – You're taking forever, Yuki… - She then snorted. – Don't tell me you're one of those people that keep the wrapping as a memoir! – She mocked.

Sophia frowned slightly, trying to hide her blushing, and with an indignant huff proceeded to tear off the gift's paper fiercely and fast as if her hand had claws. Yuuki grinned at the sight.

Inside the blue box was a pocket watch of a 6-cm diameter with a gothic design in the lid and a black chain of no refined metal like gold or silver, or anything close to that. Opening it, Sophia saw the watch's background was black and its roman numbers white.

-Around it, there is a black button. Turn it. – Yuuki instructed.

As Sophia did so, her eyes expressed their wonder as the screen changed. The white roman numbers were covered by red kanji reading the numbers.

-Neat, right? – Yuuki grinned toothily.

Sophia nodded in response with a light grin herself.

-There's more to it yet. – She continued. – In the back of the lid, there is a piece you can pull.

Sophia pulled it after locating it. Her pupils dilated at the sight. It had a pasted picture of her, her brother and Yuuki together. It had been taken months ago. Her brother was at the center with Yuuki and her at each of his sides. He was winking an eye at the camera with his winning smile. Each of his arms was around each of their shoulders. Yuuki was laughing at his right, causing her almond-shaped eyes to look even narrower and her dimples to be easily appreciable. She had one hand showing, making a V-sign. Sophia was at his left. Contrasting with the other two, she was not showing her teeth in a wide smile and one of her eyes was closed as a reflex for her brother's arm nearly asphyxiating her.

_After having taking this photo, Samuel joked on his online profile by uploading it and quoting under it 'my two girlfriends and I'._ – Sophia remembered with a smile.

-Happy birthday, Yuki. – Yuuki said. – Though technically you've been 14 for a day already. And it's a Christmas present too, so merry Christmas.

Sophia shed two final tears, though those were of joy.

-Hey, why are you crying now? – Yuuki asked pretending to be offended. – It is not that bad a gift.

-Thank you. – Sophia said.

Since she entered Ashford Academy, there had never been a day in which she did not see her brother. That time, seeing him in a picture was the most she had gotten of him in three days. She missed him dearly.

-Tears won't bring him back any sooner, Yuki. – Yuuki told her honestly. – You need to be strong. He'll come around, you'll see. – She encouraged.

Sophia nodded while wiping off her tears. She didn't think her body could produce more tears at that point anyways.

The sight of those two, even though they were the same age, seemed a lot like sisters, one older than the other. Yuuki was the mature one and Sophia was the crybaby Princess who loved her brother like nobody else, but, perhaps thanks to Yuuki's presence, she had lately not cried as often.

Sophia then sneezed.

-I told you you're only gonna get worse if you continue sitting here outside. – Yuuki repeated. - It's actually freezing here, you know? The forecast today said it may snow tonight.

-That would be nice. – Sophia spoke softly. – It didn't snow at all last winter.

-Ah that's right. We were disappointed last year because we were planning to make a funny snowman but no snow ever came. – Yuuki recalled.

-I had hopes we would make it this year… - Sophia said. - But Samuel isn't here; it wouldn't be the same… I wonder how he's doing right now. Is he cold? Is he eating right? Is he even in this side of the Equator?

Yuuki patted her shoulder.

-He's just fine. Samuel always finds a way to do just fine.

Sophia nodded lightly.

-Moreover, Andrea told me your birthday dance at the palace got cancelled because of your cold? – She grinned.

-It was merely postponed. – Sophia sounded disappointed. – It'll take place the day after tomorrow.

-On Christmas Eve, huh? Well, that's a pity. – Yuuki sympathized. – Either way, you could still use your cold as an excuse to say you're not feeling all too well and get to leave earlier than usual. Maybe you'll be spared after a couple of hours only. Cheer up already. – Yuuki finished with a rough pat on her friend's head.

-I wonder about that. – Sophia mused.

The two girls laughed leisurely when a voice scarier than an ogre's took them by surprise.

-Lady Sophia? – Andrea shouted from afar as she quickly approached them.

-Here comes the nagging beast. – Sophia said to prepare herself mentally.

-And it seems it just got its claws sharpened today. – Yuuki followed.

Andrea stood in front of them with her hands on each side of her waist, ready to nag with all her glory. They dared not to look at her straight into her eyes and were sure to keep an eye on the other. Sophia was visibly anxious, but Yuuki was an expert at keeping her cool.

-It's such a nice day, right, Andrea? – Yuuki attempted making small talk (and failed).

-What are you doing here outside in this cold? You are going to catch pneumonia exposing yourself to this wind when you're already sick! – Andrea berated fiercely. – And Miss Rose, that is no way for a young lady to be sitting! I don't care if you're not wearing a skirt today, it's unsightly!

-Come on Andrea, didn't I already tell you to just call me 'Yuuki'? – She grinned. – I don't like my middle name much.

-Is that all you caught from what I said? – Andrea scolded and growled frustrated. – It's cold here. Follow me and get inside.

-But that'd mean we'd have to stand up! – Yuuki pretended to complain.

-RIGHT. NOW. – Andrea ordered slowly.

Both girls immediately stood up straight and marched behind her like trained soldiers.

Andrea could be especially scary sometimes. To Sophia, it was a relief to know that, even though her brother was no longer around to deal with her, she still had Yuuki to rely on. She had not even had to answer to Andrea herself while Yuuki took care of things. Without someone to distract her and tire her, Andrea could go on for hours. Both of them occasionally wondered how a young woman like her, not even 25 years old, could act so senile.

-Thanks for sitting next to me back there. – Sophia whispered.

-Didn't I just tell you I'd be your support as long as I'm here? – Yuuki winked with a small smile. – You will only have to worry if she pulls out the lethal acid she calls eggnog. – She grimaced.

Sophia couldn't help snickering, and Yuuki followed.

-What are you two whispering about back there? – Andrea called.

-N-Nothing! – Sophia answered, barely able to hold back her laughter while Yuuki freely let it out.

-It's not a good sight to see a lady snorting like a pig! – Andrea nagged.

The two of them turned down their giggling volume, but Andrea was aware they were still laughing. She sighed. She didn't consider her job easy. She was not only to take care of Lady Sophia and Lord Samuel; she was also supposed to guide them, to raise them to be decent people and educated people. She was the closest those two had to a mother figure despite her being so young, which had as an effect them both treating her casually and unworriedly.

Despite her angry countenance, she was glad Lady Sophia was finally laughing after having not gotten one word or even a mere glance from her in 3 long days. She was feeling worried about her depression, but she seemed better then. She knew it was because of Yuuki, though she'd never address her like that. 'Yuuki' and 'Yuki' sounded alike to her, and the latter was, to her, meant to be used when referring to Sophia only.

-I shall prepare some of my egg nog. – She offered cordially while turning to look at them in the back. – It's that time of the year, after all.

Sophia and Yuuki froze in place.

After an awkward moment of blank stares from them both, Yuuki turned away.

-Well, you can't say I didn't tell you in advanced. See ya.

That said, Yuuki waved goodbye and then ran away.

-Huh? Yuuki, you evil! – Sophia yelled, but Yuuki wouldn't stop. - Come back here! Don't leave me to try Andrea's creepy eggnog all by myself! – She cried and proceeded to run after her, though it was obvious she'd never reach her.

-What was that? – Andrea shouted mad with a vein highlighted on her forehead. – Lady Sophia, come back here! LADY SOPHIA!

The louder Andrea yelled, the more reasons she gave Sophia and Yuuki to speed up, and that is exactly what they did.

X End of flashback X

_Yuuki, why did it have to be you who we encountered tonight? If there is anyone I wished I would not have to fight like this, it was you… _- Sophia thought without stopping running towards her objective for that early morning.

Meanwhile, Len's Glasgow stood undefeated among several damaged Gareth and now-useless tanks. Some people had died, others got injured and the rest ran away.

Len's breath was strained. Sweat drops trickled down his brow like water; some locks of his gray-silver hair were stuck to his forehead for that reason. His weariness, however, was far from getting him to surrender.

-This is a disgrace! – Jim Phillips exclaimed indignant.

He along with the other two Vincent Wards observed from a distance how an insignificant Eleven in a puny Glasgow got the best of their back-up pilots. It was a stomp in Britannian pride for a terrorist to force the Marshal's Unit to 'get serious'.

-Hehehe. He defeated them all. – Allister Cheshire said grinning. – He looks fun to fight with.

-It is indeed a rare sight to see a well-trained pilot among terrorists, Cheshire. – Ivan Clarke agreed with an undying smile despite the circumstances.

-WHAT ARE YOU TWO SAYING! – Jim shouted enraged before growling fiercely. – How dare you praise a terrorist, an Eleven? This sight is outrageous! To be defeated by a terrorist in an obsolete Glasgow is pathetic! I wish I could execute them myself for disgracing the Empire with this performance!

-Heheheheh. Jim sounds mad, Ivan. Heheheheh.

-Of course he is, Cheshire. – Ivan replied; hearing his voice was enough to remind them he still had a smile on. – If there is a title to recognize whoever hates Eleven more than anything else, Jim's name should come up.

-Heheheheh. – Cheshire grinned with his trademark laughing sound, which was not loud but soft and somewhat inconspicuous, giving it an eerier sensation to those who heard it right behind their necks.

Jim Phillips gritted his teeth and tightened his hands' grip on the controls of his Vincent Ward. His scowl was deep and his sky blue glare as enraged as it could get.

-You two can stay here like fools, but I will stop him myself if that's what it takes! That disgusting Eleven will pay for this!

That said, his Vincent Ward stepped forward.

Len's dark blue eyes narrowed as he understood that Vincent Ward was challenging him. It was already a fact they would fight.

A sweat drop rolled down freely from his forehead's left side all the way to his chin. He was not tired yet, but, unfortunately, he could not say the same about his Knightmare frame. It had been battered. Although at first no Gareth could give him a scratch, near the end he could not dodge every attack from so many units and back-ups despite his speed and agility. Moreover, the sakuradite on his ancient Yggdrasil drive was running low at that point. He wasn't sure if he'd hold on against a Seventh Age frame when he was in bad shape. It didn't help that his to be opponent had two evident Maser Vibration Swords standing tall and shaped like spears. To put it briefly, he was in a pinch.

Len temptingly looked over a specific button among the many in his Glasgow's controls. He stared at it for a couple of seconds before closing his eyes.

_No, I can't use it yet; it's too soon._ – He reasoned. – _That girl… She wants me to earn time for her. That is the most likely thing to conclude. I don't know why the hell I trust her, but I have to do this. She ought to have something in mind, and she needs time for it. I will hang on as long as I can. Then I'll ask her her damn name._

The Glasgow and the Vincent Ward clashed.

Right off the bat, Jim activated his MVS. He charged at Len, ready to slay him good. Len stepped back. The sword only grazed him. However, the pilot of the Vincent Ward would not let him off easily. He swung the sword at him again. Len barely evaded it again. Again the sword came, and again Len evaded. The attacks of the Britannian pilot were relentless; he would not let the rebel take a breath between defending himself from one moment to another.

Jim's fury grew with each time the rebel evaded his sword as if him surviving were an insult to his person.

Len could tell that pilot's specialty was the MVS. He showed prowess when it came to attacking him from several angles with good speed, and he hadn't even pulled out the second MVS he had behind his back yet. Len was grazed at most by his attacks, but saying he was having it tough would be an understatement. As nice as it is to think that it is skill what makes a pilot good, the equipment can make a difference. His Glasgow's performance could hardly match the maneuverability of a Vincent Ward. Moreover, because his Glasgow was so old, its armament was not in the most optimum conditions. He did not count with the standard assault rifle, tonfas, giant cannon or slash harken all RPI-11 Glasgow once had when they were a mass-produced novelty. He did have two aces up his sleeve, but he needed to be wise when using them up, for they would expend a considerable amount of energy, shortening the combat.

_Hang in there… _- Len thought while doing his best to avoid the MVS, concentrated on the fight yet wandering in the back of his mind; that was a trait of his that showed he was a natural fighter. - _I have to hang in there. I have to hold on as long as I can. There are still two Wards that can attack at any moment, but because they underestimate me, they will not likely come at the same time. There is also the possibility of more back-up coming. However, that girl, whoever she is, can't be unaware of this situation. She seems smart enough to know I can only last so long with my limited energy… (…) I don't even know if she's planning to use me as scapegoat, but even if she is, at least Syusuke – San and the others should have enough time to escape. They will continue to fight. If my fall can help our cause, then so be it. It's a possibility we all embraced before coming tonight. Kotaro knew this too…_

It was an odd sight. Even when working so hard to dodge the fatal MVS, the pilot of the Glasgow smiled inside the cockpit.

_I bet Kotaro didn't die with regrets… I would likely regret it if I ran away now, though running away is actually impossible. I wonder if that voice will lead us to another victory in the future. I can tell she has that much potential… Man, I hate that I trust her. I hate her, yet I trust her. I hate that she practically demands my trust, and she has it. If Kaya heard me she'd say I'm pathetic…_

Five whole minutes passed and Len was still unharmed. Jim's teeth were soon to ache from him clenching them so hard.

-You cursed Eleven! – He screamed fuming, so loudly it was likely his eyeballs were almost bulging from his face.

Jim Phillips pulled out from behind a second MVS. Even his mechanical arms showed how reluctant he was to use it.

-All you've done is postpone the inevitable. You've made me waste enough time already. I shall finish you right here and now. – He menaced.

Len narrowed his eyes for a moment. Then he grinned. He had no reason to think the Britannian pilot of the Marshal's Unit was lying to him, but he felt he would not be able to keep his word on that. His grin widened, brimming with confidence of unknown origins. Perhaps it was just the spur of the moment, or maybe he really foresaw that a factor in the future would play on his favor.

-Bring it on. – He defied like an authentic rebel.

Inwardly, he was aware dodging would get twice as laborious, but if there was something he didn't lack was well-grounded confidence in his skill. He was a dexterous pilot by nature; no Britannian would ever deny him that much.

Two hundred meters away, Sophia surrounded the War Tower's location carefully. There were several units on standby, ready to move towards her terrorist/tool any second.

She had managed to calm herself down in the way there. _Must stay cool._ – She said to herself. – _I can't allow myself to make foolish mistakes for not thinking clearly. This is a test for both those rebels and I. I have to prove I can be Zero's incarnation. I have to convince Z.Z. He definitely knows more than he'll tell. I don't know why, but I have a premonition that he may hold the key for something so important it could play a major role in the war I've begun tonight. Why am I so surprised to see Yuuki anyway? I knew beforehand she joined the Britannian army. Sure, I did not know she joined the Marshal's Unit specifically, but that is irrelevant. I already know what to do; that is what I will do._

Like Len guessed, Sophia kept in mind that his energy would not last forever. She was not sure how long he had left, so she was acting according to the least favorable scenario for him, in which his Yggdrasil drive's sakuradite would last a bit over ten minutes from that instant.

She took advantage of the dark veil above them all and observed from behind one of the trees surrounding the clear area where the Marshal's Unit stood.

Her clothes and the soldier's uniforms were different from what she wore. She also needed to get her hands on one of their black uniforms with a gray cloth to cover all the way to the nose and a dark helmet to cover the rest of her face. She estimated it would take one minute for someone to come close enough for her to use her Geass on. In reality she waited 56 seconds.

As discerningly as possible, she approached a soldier that surrounded the area, away from the majority. She took off her helmet for him to see the sigil on her left eye. In a whisper, she ordered him to go with her some meters away, give her his clothes as well as his ID and the spare handgun he carried and then to put on her bloody clothes to make sure he'd be mistaken for a member the private army of Sir King. Finally, she told him to shoot himself. With her clothes on his corpse, anybody who saw him would not care if he was dead.

Sophia stared at him for a moment. How many people had she ordered to kill themselves that night? And her battle was just beginning…

Her next stop was the War Tower, more specifically the Marshal's chamber.

Not too far from there, Yuuki Smith and Z.Z. were exchanging blows and kicks. Both showed each other their dexterity. She was not just a trained officer, she was the most physically fit in her squad, but he was a proficient martial artist. Her skills in martial arts, though excelling in Marshal's Unit, were not yet match for his level.

She could not land a hit on him, and he evaded every hit she sent him. She, however, was also yet to be hit and her exceptionally fast reflexes were an asset for dodging. His attacks came one after the other. He'd throw a kick, she'd jump back. He'd jump into midair and come from above, and she'd move with a somersault. He'd land on ground and throw a punch in the same second, and she'd counter it with her leg up. She needed to be fully focused or else she knew he'd find a way to knock her down.

Yuuki somersaulted and gained some distance. When she stood on her feet, she looked right into his deep blue eyes. It was dark, but she could feel his stare; he too could see her.

_This guy… He's good. He's nothing like the woman from earlier. He's already used techniques from tae kwon do, aikido and karate. He's also got experience with guns. Even though one can barely see here, he can shoot with accuracy from a fairly long distance while moving. Moments ago, he barely missed me. His stamina is more than decent; he's yet to break a sweat. He attacks me to prevent me from attacking him, but he needs a reason to get into offense. He has not yet gotten serious with me; if he had, I would've been killed a while ago. How can someone so well-trained be a terrorist? It does not make much sense. If he and that woman aren't terrorists, then what are they?_

Clearly, getting close to him was risky. Then her eye corner caught a glimpse of something that would allow her a safe win. She noted the rifle he previously kicked from her was but 2 meters to her far left.

Swiftly throwing her body to the ground to grab it, she quickly pointed it to Z.Z. while in one knee. He had only observed her but did not even move. The distance between them was too short; it was almost impossible for any trained soldier to miss the shot. She was a distinguishable threat, yet his face did not react.

-What is your purpose here? – She questioned him influenced by the confidence the weapon gave its user. – What is your relation to the terrorists that kidnapped the Princess?

He remained silent and limited himself to glare back at her. Yuuki Smith excelled at several aspects; patience was not one of them, though. With a frown in her face, she stood up without lowering the rifle at any moment.

-Answer. – The soldier commanded.

The red-haired man did not react again. She was threatening him at gunpoint and he was unfazed.

Z.Z. looked keenly at the girl with curly hair. He was fully focused in finding something about her. Though he didn't know what that something was, it was something great enough for Snow to not want her killed.

'_DON'T', Snow yelled._ – Z.Z. thought with his unexpressive eyes fixated on Yuuki Smith. – _Why? What is so special about this girl? Her fighting abilities, though above the average soldier's, are nothing extraordinary, nor is her intelligence. She most likely is a member of the Marshal's Unit. How will she be of any help to our purpose? What about this woman makes her so special to be exempt from being killed, differently from several other people tonight?_

Thinking it would be effective, Smith shot and purposely missed, grazing his left cheek by a couple of centimeters. He did not blink.

The more she saw of him, the less human he seemed to her. Little did she know she was absolutely right. She tightened her grip on the firearm. She no longer knew what that man was, but that did not change her objective.

-The Princess… Is she hurt? – She asked with her voice suddenly softer. – Where is she?

Z.Z. did not answer.

She gritted her teeth. She could feel a sensation she had not had in years. She did not want to admit it, but she had a soft spot for Sophia. Next, she felt something akin to guilt. She remembered all the letters Sophia used to write to her years agone. She read and kept all of them. Whenever she replied to her, she was brief, and, because she was not gifted with a knack for good prose, she sounded uninteresting. Compared to Sophia, her letters were dull. Then, a point came in which she could no longer write to her and asked Sophia to understand. Sophia understood and did not complain despite that meaning she'd be alone, for her missing brother was yet to reappear in her life. Now, years later, she felt guilty. The girl that had been her best friend was most likely there, hurt and frightened, and although she was trying to do something for her, she couldn't. That man with strange blue eyes was to blame for her feeling like that.

-Yuki… - She whispered.

She did not notice, but the blue-eyed man heard her, and his strange eyes reacted to that name. He understood.

_That was it?_ – He wondered as he recalled Snow's cry for him to let her live. – _Snow wanted to spare her because she knew her before?_

He sighed inwardly.

-How disappointing. – Z.Z. finally spoke; he spoke softly and sounded, as he expressed, disappointed.

Yuuki heard him but could not make sense of his words. She was beginning to wonder if he was having an episode of mental instability. Her limited patience ended that moment.

-Where is Princess Sophia? – She demanded. – Answer.

He could tell she was aiming for his heart with the rifle. She knew he could tell that. He still would not answer.

For a while by then, Z.Z. knew the handgun Sophia left behind was close to his foot. He had ignored it all along because he was curious about whatever Snow had seen in that soldier…But now he had the answer. The answer was nothing. He had no reason to comply with Snow's every whim.

-Why should I not kill you? – He asked out loud.

Yuuki's forehead furrowed.

-What…? – She began but never finished.

The moment she saw him bending down slowly, her eyes followed and landed on the handgun she recognized belonged to the woman from earlier. As a reflex and product of her occupation's nature, she shot. She did not miss that time.

The man she could not understand fell on top of the grass with a small but lethal hole in his chest.

His eyes were not closed. Strangely enough, they did not look any different dead than when he was alive.

Yuuki took a moment to recover her cool before continuing. Regardless of anything else, her mission had not changed. She would find Sophia no matter what. Unknown to her, she was neither as far nor as hurt and defenseless as she believed.

Len had it twice as tough, but he was still undefeated, increasing Jim's anger exponentially.

-Cursed Eleven! – He screamed for the second time that early morning.

Observing from the sideline, the two other Vincent Ward had not made a move.

-Heheheheh. Jim's mad because he couldn't beat the terrorist with just one MVS. Heheheheh.

-True enough. – Ivan agreed smiling calmly. – For Jim to need to use both swords against one terrorist in a poorly equipped Glasgow must hurt his pride dearly.

Indeed, Jim was not far from his wits' end. Even using his two MVS he was unable to bring one mere terrorist down. He attacked him from left and right and up and down, and he could still not defeat him.

Len was had been capable of evading every swing so far. He had been moving around the field in order to make it harder for his opponent too. He had nearly tripped and fallen several times but always recovered his balance, frustrating his Britannian fiend.

_How can this be happening?_ – Jim thought anxiously. – _He's just a damn terrorist!_

-This is enough, terrorist! – He yelled. – You cannot defeat me! You can stop nothing with that puny Glasgow! Evading will not save you from your fate! You will pay for having defied the Holy Empire, you ghetto rat!

Len tightened his grip on the cockpit's controls. _Tch. I don't need to hear this guy's racist ranting now; I'm already pissed off… I think I've been idle long enough. _He positioned himself; it seemed he was ready to receive the attack up front. He didn't look like he was going to dodge, slide to Jim's back or step back.

Both the observers knew the Glasgow pilot's actions were more than reckless. Allister Cheshire grinned with bright interest. Ivan Clarke's ability to not let himself be seen through allowed him to watch while looking calm, still wearing the mysterious permanent smile; however, in reality, his eyes were set on the Glasgow with concentration beyond normal, even greater than Cheshire's curiosity.

Very differently from those two, Jim Phillips could not be calm as he attacked. He felt he was facing humiliation in the hands of an insurgent Eleven. Even the frame he piloted showed in its movement how determined he was to make his statement true as he charged towards the Glasgow, and that determination was nurtured by his fury. He was ready to blow the rebel's existence away with a single attack.

Shockingly enough, things did not go according to Jim's plan. Instead of the Glasgow's cockpit being slain, his Vincent Ward's movement ceased, and his MVS were demoted to spear-like weapons, for the oscillations on their edges stopped completely.

-Huh…? – Jim uttered quietly, baffled; all his anger toned down significantly thanks to the element of surprise.

Once again, another electric discharge occurred in the cockpit, first it had been his Vincent, now it was his turn to feel its full impact. He bellowed with his eyes unable to blink while being shocked.

The discharge was just over when the Glasgow's pilot pushed the Vincent Ward down.

The particular pair of spectators witnessed the scene.

-Ohhh… - Cheshire expressed with a face as fascinated as a child's.

-Eh, I knew he was up to something, but to pull out a stun gun after having hidden it successfully while we had assumed he was weaponless! What a nifty man, this terrorist is! – He exclaimed with a delighted tone. Ivan's grin deepened, too. - Why, this has gotten more interesting than I thought!

-Hehehehe! – Cheshire laughed while nodding in agreement.

Right in the last second before Jim's MVS got to him in his initial attack, like in any good and cliché action movie, Len showed his first ace hidden in his sleeve at last. He had not stopped his movements with anything fancy, just a mere stun gun, as Ivan Clarke correctly noticed. He had, however, had it modified for it to be able to release exceptionally high-voltage charges that could affect Knightmare Frame weaponry. Inconspicuously, Len had been hiding it all along, saving it for a surprise attack while he tried earning some time.

Len was hardly surprised the other two seemed calm even though one of their comrades was on the ground. He could be smart when he wanted to, and pretty clever as well, but he was a terrorist. He shared with all that despise for Britannian hauteur and the undue urgency to fight each time he received those condescending and arrogant attitudes that belittled him for no other reason than being an Eleven. Len knew that despite his accomplishment in bringing one down for a moment he was still at non-negligible disadvantage, but that impetuous impetus within himself would never allow him to retreat. He did not worry whether he had or not used his stun gun in the most appropriate moment, which was an important thing considering surprise factors are only surprising once; it was worth it, for he was proving his worth, as if he were saying 'I am an Eleven, but I can stand up to you; underestimate me and fall'.

_I like your stand; it makes you so much more interesting…_ - Ivan thought. - _More importantly, he is proving to be promising. He might be so much fun to trifle with and eventually crush! It is not everyday that I have the pleasure of coming across this type. _– His tranquil and carefree grin's outward appearance began showing a more nefarious nature, slowly transforming his expression. – _I am looking forward to it, terrorist._

-I… Hehehehe… I c-can't… Hehehehe…I can't hold it anymore! – Cheshire stammered from eagerness. – I… - His Vincent Ward took a step toward Len. – I want to play with him too!

He gave not one more step when he caught a glimpse of the fallen Vincent moving.

Grunting, Jim Phillips refused to give up. His frame's system was recovered from the shock for the most part. Although with ragged breathing, he was decided to stop Cheshire from attacking.

-D-Don't you dare… - He warned panting.

Standing up, he faced his opponent. His blue eyes were in flames. His goal, that glare of his revealed, had become to kill him.

-Heh, but Jim already played with him! – Cheshire complained like a child who could not wait anymore to play with a toy. – Ivan! It's not fair! I wanna fight the terrorist too! Tell Jim he already screwed it up!

-SHUT UP! – Jim bellowed at Cheshire without turning to him, but letting him feel the whole of his ire with his voice filled of nothing but bellicose contempt and murderous desires.

-Now, now. There is no need to yell at Cheshire, is there Jim? – Ivan calmly, perfectly unaffected by Jim's eerie threat, of course, never pushing aside his smile for anything. – Truth is that it is better if you let Cheshire take over and clean the mess you certainly cannot. Give up, Jim. You can't defeat this terrorist. – His words were phrased like advice, but his tone and expression clearly indicated he was pointing out his weakness and that his intentions, albeit undecipherable, were certainly not kindly-meant.

In a matter of seconds, Len had exchanged roles with the observers. It was easy to tell the stubborn one had had his pride hurt thanks to him. However, Len could not guess what the other one's intellections were going about. His fighter instinct told him the latter would be the hardest opponent of the three.

Gritting his teeth and having his brow covered with highlighted veins, Jim's eyes were not far from popping out of his face.

Choosing to fight for his honor and ignore Ivan's words, he charged again at Len, not bothering to pick up his useless pair of MVS from the ground. His frame, however, was not in the most optimum state. Dodging any clout he threw at him was easy for Len.

A new impasse was born. Len was still seeking to stall for some time. He dodged, threw no attacks and occasionally shielded his cockpit with the stun gun. Also, he knew that prolonging this fight would also delay an imminent clash with the leader-like figure of the trio, whose recollected countenance and rather vexing undying grins gave room for him to be mysterious and creepy enough for Len to be aware fighting him would put him in something more than a pinch.

Ivan complimented his amused grin with a humming noise that beckoned understanding, having seen through a stratagem. _So you do not want to fight with me, terrorist? You think that playing around with Jim is going to impede me from attacking? Why, you are terribly wrong… I'll let you see it is too early for you to attempt controlling my actions. I shall force you to show me the other trick I know you're hiding._

-Ivan! – Cheshire cried, getting frustrated. – It's so unfair! Why does only Jim get to fight him?

Ivan's lips curled upwards almost sinisterly.

-Why, Cheshire, you certainly have a point. I do not recall, however, having been told we could only attack one-on-one. Jim is struggling and embarrassing himself even more. What do you say you lend him a hand? – He grinned invitingly.

-Yoohooo! – Cheshire shouted excited at finally being able to release all the energy so much excitement had made him withstand.

Cheshire's Vincent Ward went at Len while he evaded a predictable attack from Jim, and he received damage with a surprised visage. The cockpit where he was had been grazed.

-What are you doing? Don't get in my way, Cheshire! – Jim shouted angry. – He's mine!

-Hehehe, your turn's already over, Jim.

Cheshire paid no more heed to Jim after replying. In vane, Jim continued uttering and yelling. Decided, he focused on destroying the Eleven before Cheshire and continued throwing random attacks, no longer guided by reason.

The situation had gotten tricky and a lot more difficult. Handling Jim in that condition was child's play, but the other pilot was a dissimilar case. Never mind his frame was undamaged, Cheshire earned credit for being an authentically skilled pilot very fairly. He was fast, had great reflexes, and defending from his attacks was no easy task whereas Len's attacks could not even touch him. Fighting Cheshire with Jim attacking randomly, rather than fighting, Len was just procuring not to receive significant damage from Cheshire, and that was still troublesome. Nonetheless, once he was used to the rhythm, Len could use his stun gun to aggress toward Cheshire, though so far he could hardly graze him.

Ivan chuckled. _He's slowly taking the pace and keeps up with two opponents at once. Impressive, indeed. You are definitely promising. Nevertheless, do not get too confident yet. Cheshire has only been toying with you; he's hardly serious… He'll soon be, though._

Cheshire growled.

-Oi, Jim! – He yelled. – Stop getting in the way already! It's not as fun when you slow us down.

-You bastard! – Jim cussed. – He's my opponent! You're the one who's in the way!

Len lifted an eyebrow. Two enemies were fighting among themselves. Two trained and capacitated high-ranking officers in the Marshal's Unit were fighting in the middle of a combat with a terrorist. He just couldn't think of any words to say, so he observed while defending from their attacks, which weakened since they devoted part of their energy trying to get the other out.

Frustrated, Cheshire pushed Jim whose condition did not allow him to prevent falling.

Cheshire then turned to Len confidently.

-Now we can finally go for the good stuff! – He exclaimed.

Len took the offensive stand and attempted charging at him with the stun gun, but could not manage to hit the cockpit; the pilot was not about to let himself be hit after seeing the power it could release. That was the downside of showing a triumph card too early in a game.

Cheshire's Vincent was lithe, moving it like his own body when it came to evading the stun gun. They gradually increased their speed, eventually moving while occupying more space and danced the offensive-defensive dance.

Their speed and agility were quite alike, such that, in the end, it came down to equipment difference. Len had the disadvantage in his Glasgow, and that fact pulled him down. His cockpit received a brutal punch that shook him and nearly made him lose balance.

-What do you feel now that you experience Cheshire's surfacing ability? – Ivan wondered. – And he has only just started. What will you do now? Will you finally show your second ace, or will you take the risk of getting killed by Cheshire?

_I guess this is far as I can keep this up. _– Len, oblivious to Ivan's amusement, thought. -_ I will have to get things moving in this impasse. Whatever she is planning on doing, I can't give her forever to do it._

From the Glasgow's back, the frame's hand reached for something, but that something would not be shown with its closed fist.

Cheshire, enjoying himself greatly, charged, unable to contain himself for whatever new and exciting thing the terrorist would pull off. That worked better for Len. He was to wait for Cheshire to approach him, and then he'd release _it_.

Once he knew he would not stop, the Glasgow's hand let the cylindrical container be seen.

Ivan's irises reacted immediately. His grin dimmed at first but later returned even more emphasized than before. Something interesting was about to happen.

Both parties were surprised when a long-forgotten one got in the literally middle. The air burst grenade's impact of the deadly shrapnel sprayed was received by Jim's cockpit before he could eject. It also affected Cheshire because he was fairly close, though not as much. Len was, of course, not immune from part of its effect since he could not run in order for his trap to work. A loud explosion reverberated throughout the area.

…_Please hurry up. _– Len could hardly think with the noise caused by the chaos mine.

Not really being a psychic, Sophia was unaware of what Len's thoughts were, though she could have formed a fairly close idea of what they were like had she attempted to. Nevertheless, it was within her knowledge that she did not have much time left.

Minutes earlier, having used her Geass to shape her pathway and passage through the inside of the War Tower without undergoing any risks or danger, Sophia stood at the highest level of tower, right outside a couple of automatic doors that, according to an officer she manipulated, held behind them the Marshal of the Britannian Army. Even if she had not had that confirmation, the majesty and width of the entrance left little room for doubt about its room's occupant. She had gone a long way, like a Queen making her way to the Knight on the opposing side of the chessboard. To enter, to make her final move, all she had to do was slip the ID card that she stole and enter the key number into the electric code lock.

_Five, four, eight, seven, seven, eight, eight. _– Sophia repeated the key inwardly for the tenth time since she learned it from an officer three minutes earlier.

Sophia took a deep breath while holding tightly against her chest the rifle, which was also stolen. She did not need to repeat that sequence ten times, but she still did it because she wanted to avoid thinking about another matter. She was still not entirely over having defied all expectations by reuniting in what is the perhaps-most-undesirable way with a beloved friend she had not seen in years which felt longer than anything else and whom she had missed every day of them. Numerous were the times for the past years in which she'd wake up in the middle of the night with tears on her face after dreaming about her brother and Yuuki, the only two people in the world she ever truly loved without reserve and the only two people that truly knew her. Moreover, although she knew exactly what she would say once she entered, the nature of the information she could potentially obtain had a lot of weight on her heartbeat.

She sighed. She was aware she was reaching her time's limit. She put on her helmet, for she had been in the need to take it off before to use her Geass. It was time to act, show time.

5-4-8-7-7-8-8. One by one, the numbers were pressed. The doors opened.

The Marshal's quarters were exactly what they were supposed to be according to the imagination of nobody in particular. A spacious room of serious and military appearance with little light provided by fluorescent lights on the dark walls; because of that, the ceiling above their heads was indiscernible from the darkness. There was a luxurious set of couches and coffee tables in each side of the room with some additional furniture, some in which a few sets of glasses for serving drinks were visible. In the middle, there was a large rectangular table of steel base with a bright map illuminate by lights beneath its glassy surface.

Sitting further at the back, at the limit between the part where light was enough for her to distinguish anything and the farther part where she saw nothing but black, was a large chair worthy of the highest ranking military official in the Empire, and that was exactly the man who sat in it.

Marshal Marshall Wellington sat loftily, such that his power was clear as day even in a room as dark as that one. It appeared he was previously to her interruption musing deeply on the situation that was happening outside the metallic walls of the movable structure. His usually cold expression seemed different at the moment, though. The cause was doubtlessly the matters he was pondering upon seconds agone.

He acted relatively calm, and even Sophia found that neat countenance slightly disturbing considering he was aware she was no soldier of his, and her intentions in that room were anything but favorable to him.

For a brief instant, she felt as if he could see through the darkness and through her helmet and knew who she was just as if her face were naked. That pair of dark brown eyes was so sharp and so imposing that not even the poor lightning of the room could camouflage it. She shrugged that intellection off. That was impossible.

She could not counter with an even sharper glance because it was not yet the time to take off her helmet. So, she did the best next thing: She pointed her rifle at him. She pointed at him decidedly even though it was the first time she carried a gun like that one. Back then, all she knew about it was that it was a rifle; beyond her was to guess it to be an AR-15 piston rifle with quick change barrel. Its weight was not too much for her to struggle carrying, but it felt heavier than logic dictated it should. Whatever that was, she knew it was unconceivable for it to be guilt, especially since Marshall Wellington had not even flinched at the sight of an ally of the terrorists having infiltrated the War Tower. To him, the sight of a powerful military weapon was probably as trivial and unimpressive as the sight of a notebook is for a student. Nevertheless, he must have been aware of what his situation was. Chances were that he was unarmed, so did a random but incapable-of-lying officer inform Sophia.

-What is it that you want? – He asked straight to the point.

-What else is there to want but for you to meet my demands? – Sophia answered in a soft but firm and certain tone.

-What are your demands? – The Marshal enquired right away, neither pausing nor hesitating a second.

That reaction was anything but unexpected or unforeseen to her. It is not the least hard to think a man who had been through the difficulties and challenges of rising in rank starting from the very base of the hierarchy's pyramid and undeniably succeeded and achieved as much as he had during most of his youth and life capable of adjusting with perfect composure to any situation where even his life is threatened.

-First, you will say a few words to your forces outside. – She commanded.

-I will not move my forces. – He rebelled calmly and unhesitant.

-I see you're a devoted soldier, Marshal, willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of your beloved Britannia. However, admirable as it is, you still have no choice but to comply with my demands. – Sophia informed without a gram of uncertainty in her countenance and voice.

Fearless and defiant, Marshall Wellington stood up with the countenance proper of him, showing great discipline as a soldier and unyielding pride in a non-offensive amount. His frame 1.85 meters tall was at its best when standing. The glister of resolve shone on his features, giving him a courageous and strong air.

-You are in no position to think of your victory as imminent, terrorist; not even close! My Unit outdoes your allies in both numbers and skill. Even if you assassinate me now, you will still accomplish nothing.

Sophia grinned. Her face was hidden by a helmet and darkness, but the Marshal could feel her composure not quivering. He understood she was still to show him something else.

_His time should be about to run out around now._

-Say, the view from here must be ample. – She began; her tone was neither conceited and overconfident nor uneasy and unsure. – What do you say you let us both observe, Marshal?

And that is exactly what they both did. Not that the Marshal had a choice. He took out a remote control from his coat and pointed it at a wall. Slowly, the wall was lifted automatically to reveal a window presenting the scenery of a battle field, which both watched minutely without forgetting to keep an eye on each other. It was as if time inside had frozen as they viewed the field outside battling apace…Until they saw an ephemeral but wondrous explosion right before them. Sophia caught from her last conversation with Len that he had something up his sleeve. She did not know what it was but, judging him as smart enough, did not doubt that what he considered advantageous was indeed advantageous and not just some tool that fools would overestimate. Still, she did not expect it to be a modified chaos mine. _Interesting._ – She pondered, already thinking ahead despite not being done there.

Estimating how long he would last until using that trump card, she awaited for that sight to occur while pointing a weapon's barrel at Marshall Wellington. Sophia planned that that would trigger the reaction she needed in the Marshal. He was far from thinking his forces and himself at risk of defeat; Sophia could tell that by looking at him. However, he was beginning to understand there was more to them than he had foresaw. Effectively, it was not everyday that he saw terrorist groups coming so far, even mastering the art of strategy to an acceptable degree beyond that of common rebels.

She turned to him, ready to get straight to business.

-As you can see, Marshal, you have underestimated these terrorists. – She spoke unhurriedly.

-You have underestimated us even farther. You think this means anything? That explosion hardly affected my forces. They are still in greater numbers. One of your men has taken damage as well in order to cause us damage, and even that sacrifice will be to no avail and give you no vantage.

Sophia's grin widened. What would happen next would be the final touch for him.

-Then, Marshal, go ahead and order your forces to go and back them up. Be assured I will not pull the trigger while you're at it. – She spoke softly; had her tone not been so obvious of its hidden dark thoughts and confident, she might have sounded rather polite.

While she stated she would not shoot if he did that, he understood she meant for him to do it or else she _would_ shoot.

He took out a communication device from his breast pocket.

-Control room. – A voice answered.

-Send in reinforcements outside. – The Marshal ordered.

On the other line, there was silence. The Marshal furrowed his brow.

-Did you copy? – He asked.

Again, no response was given. The Marshal gritted his teeth, and his scowl deepened. He began to fear the worst, unable to understand how the female in front of him was responsible for this.

-Control room! Do you hear me? I demand an answer.

-We do not answer to your orders. – The man in control room replied in the same monotonous and uninterested voice.

-What is the meaning of this! You are all my Unit, my subordinates. You _will_ answer to my orders!

Once again, silence was heard.

-Answer to…!

Before the Marshal of Britannia could finish yelling at his unexpectedly rebellious subordinates, the call ended.

The Marshal was indignant. He turned with angry eyes at the calm and quiet woman before him.

Refusing to give in, he made another call.

-Whitmire. – A voice answered.

-General, this is the Marshal speaking. I need you to send in reinforcements to the pilots on the field. This is a matter of urgency.

A pause occurred. The Marshal's forehead began to sweat as he could imagine what that pause meant.

-Sorry, sir. – General Whitmire replied. – I don't follow your orders anymore.

Slowly, Marshal Wellington's composure was dying.

-What the hell is that supposed to mean? – He demanded.

Sophia listened amused. She could not recollect another occasion in which she had heard the correct Marshal swear. She always found it interesting to witness the dramatic changes people undergo under certain situations where their psyche is messed with. She herself had been through extraordinary circumstances recently, and she too realized change in her was inevitable. She had been thinking about that for a while then. What exactly would change about her?

The General also hanged up on Wellington.

Reaching despair, Wellington attempted to contact two other people, but the outcome was the same.

He looked at the young woman in front of him again, no longer composed.

_You are frustrated because you simply cannot figure out what I've done, is that not so, Marshall Wellington?_ - Sophia thought with a sly smile; everything was going according to plan.

-What did you do, woman? – He demanded.

-Nothing in particular, Marshal. I believe a smart man like you understands he is no position to demand answers.

He narrowed his eyes at her relaxed form.

-You already know what I want you to do, Marshal.

-I will not do it. – He said stubbornly.

-Not only do you not have anyone worthy of replacing you, someone with the same qualities as you to lead Britannia's armies worldwide, but you should also be aware that, even if you sacrificed yourself, you will still accomplish nothing. – She retaliated.

_To have your own words returned to you is something I by experience know to be effective to add stress to the already stressed mind._

He had no choice but to comply in the end, just like she told him before.

Len had taken damage, but he was still alright. He was trying to ease his breathing slowly. Cheshire took more equipment casualty than Len, but, much to Len's uneasiness, he was still able to fight. Jim, however, was a different story. His frame was damaged beyond repair. The majority of the shrapnel attacked his cockpit, and he had no chance to eject.

Jim Philips groaned and suppressed painful screams, but his pain was audible to the ones present.

As for Ivan Clarke, he had but a few scratches that could hardly be considered damage.

His grin was still intact. He did not spare a glance to his teammates' predicament. He stared in wonder at the terrorist pilot. _Oho, you're full of surprises… You are truly worth keeping an eye for…_

Len could hardly concentrate. _This is bad. I gained but a few minutes!_

He was tired already. He did not think he would last too long against Cheshire, and he did not want to estimate how he would do against the other unscathed pilot. He had not even seen what he was capable of, but his gut told him that guy was one to watch out for. That foreboding was about correct.

Then he heard it, as did everyone else.

-All forces, retreat. – A male voice reverberated throughout the area.

_Huh?_ – Was the only thing Len could think of after listening.

There were only three words, but few could have a more impacting meaning even in myriads.

-Is that who I think it is? – He whispered to himself.

He turned to look at his opponents. They stood still. Even Jim Phillips's cries were silenced.

-W-What is the meaning of this…? – Jim whispered in disbelief.

Ivan's grin also turned to the War Tower's direction. His eyes opened widely to reveal sea green eyes that could hardly contain excitement while maintaining a calm physiognomy, but the interest he felt leaked out of his pupils like light.

-Seems like there is more than one interesting person among these terrorists. – He commented.

-Heh! This isn't fair! I was just getting started! – Cheshire cried with a pout, almost moving his frame to make a tantrum.

-It can't be helped, Cheshire. – Jim consoled smiling. – Our Marshal's orders are absolute.

He then turned to Len. _Besides, defeating you right now when you're this vulnerable would hardly be entertaining._

Len could feel a glare from Ivan Clarke. The instinct of pilots lets them see beyond the cockpit as they tune in with their opponent in the field. He put on a tough face in return.

Jim's Vincent Ward struggled to move with what little faculties it was left. Unfortunately for the injured pilot, his unflappable chauvinistic spirit would not make a difference in his equipment.

-You should give it up, Jim. – Ivan advised softly. - Your situation is hopeless, and you also need some urgent medical attention.

-Shut up, Ivan! I am not going to retreat on this bastard! I won't! – Jim shouted fiercely.

-My, my, aren't you a stubborn one. – Ivan commented casually.

-Very stubborn. – Cheshire repeated.

-I said shut up! – Jim screamed.

Ivan approached his Vincent and moved some piece in the back of the frame, which allowed the cockpit to be separated from the Vincent easily.

Len supposed it was a custom-made feature as he observed. He was still processing the fact that he, open and vulnerable as he was, would be left there. He suddenly came across the thought of that voice being the one responsible for that. His dark blue orbs dilated. _Could it be? Does she really have this much power?_ – He thought perplexed.

-What are you doing? – Jim demanded. – Leave me alone, Ivan! – He yelled with his blue eyes as open as they could get while his cockpit was being carried away from the terrorist by Ivan's Vincent.

-Now, now, I cannot let you disobey the Marshal, Jim. He has just ordered us to retreat. – He said calmly.

-I don't care! Don't you find it suspicious? Something must be wrong! This has to be a mistake, a conspiracy!

-Jim, you must not forget your place. Our Marshal has given us an order… - Ivan's tone slowly changed into a more obscure one. - …And so we must obey. That is the basic command for every soldier to follow. Am I clear?

Jim could not utter another word. He knew that tone. He knew it was dangerous to say another syllable. Getting Ivan mad was not wise, even a resentful and proud man like he could tell it was better to give up. Not free of his ire, however, he turned to Len and shouted at him.

-Don't think I'll let you go next time! Remember this, terrorist! I will destroy you! I will make sure you pay ten times fold…!

Len would pay no more attention to the Britannian pilot's empty threats, slowly fading until their volume was nonexistent for Len's ears. He was too intrigued thinking how things had played out, how that girl's voice had made this happened. It was just beyond him to imagine it.

His Glasgow stood lone in the deserted field in a matter of minutes. He still couldn't believe it. He needed to know what was going on.

He attempted to communicate with Kotaro's transmitter in hopes of hearing of her, but he learned the transmitter was turned off.

_Perhaps she's still busy? Did she survive after doing whatever to make this happen? She didn't sound like the type to sacrifice herself… Did she? …And I still don't know her name. Who was she? It doesn't seem like I'll find out tonight. I have the feeling I'll hear of her again, but when?_

All other squads returned to the War Tower, utterly shocked by the Marshal's direct order delivered in such an unconventional method.

Marshall Wellington's voice was even heard by a group of three farther away.

-Seems like we underestimated her. – Syusuke mused aloud.

-Oh please! Do you really think that brat could do something like this? – Kaya replied with an angry sound.

-You're just mad at her for having shutting you up. – Shiro observed.

-What was that? – Kaya menaced while staring sharply at him.

-Nothing. – Shiro said uninterested; he did not feel like putting up with an angered Kaya at that moment.

-Then, how do you suppose their forces would retreat when they were at clear advantage? – Syusuke asked Kaya.

-Beats me. – Kaya looked away upset.

-Syusuke – San, I'm not saying you're wrong, but how could she, whom I suppose to be even younger than I, have any influence over the Marshal of Britannia?

Syusuke did not reply.

-We cannot possibly know when we do not even know her. – He said quietly.

Shiro knew he was inwardly very anxious about the answer to that question.

-How much power could a brat have anyway?

-You are forgetting, Kaya, that age is not a determining factor for influence and skill. Zero, our example and guide, is the living proof of that. – Shiro countered.

-Zero, huh? – Kaya spoke more calmly. – Is this brat conceited enough to believe she can pull off what Zero did?

-Is there anything we've witnessed tonight that proves she can't, Kaya? – Syusuke asked.

Neither Kaya nor Shiro replied to that and remained quiet for some seconds.

-I hope Len's alright. – Shiro expressed.

-As if that kid could get killed this easily! – Kaya exclaimed at him. – You think I would've let him get the chaos mine if he were weak? Don't say idiotic things, Shiro! You piss me off even more!

Once she was done yelling at him, she walked from the two men a few meters, sat in some lying log and lit a cigarette to smoke alone.

Shiro scratched his head.

-Tch. That woman is insufferable. She can't even be honest and say she's worried about him too.

-That's her way of reassuring us and herself that he'll be alright. – Syusuke smiled. – We know she is not very expressive, so we can't expect her to admit herself worried.

-It's still obnoxious. – Shiro replied.

-Rough women are seldom pleasing, Shiro.

The group continued watching over the field, though they could hardly distinguish the position of Len's Glasgow.

Elsewhere, there was yet another person who was also bewildered at Marshal Wellington's command.

-What is going on? – Yuuki Smith uttered with some difficulty after gawking.

Not doubting that something was off, she ran as fast as she could towards the War Tower.

_I'm sorry, Yuki. Duty calls. But I promise I will keep looking for you if I must._ – She swore to herself.

It is interesting how events unfurled that night. Those people she commanded did not even know her, but she still knew they would follow her. Before her voice made its appearance, they were but a group that would be cornered; they were only scapegoats, willing to sacrifice in the belief their likely loss would be of contribution to the rather hopeless situation of the Japanese. Then she came. She was their only hope and, as human nature has shown time and time again, they in the end chose to live by following her voice, however dark her orders were and however confusing her intentions would be. The Marshal had thought her those terrorists' leader, for what she heard, and all she had done so far was use them as tools while testing their worth. Now that it had come to that point, though, she was nearly convinced that group was the best she could get a grip on. Confident in her ability to guide them and knowing she had Zero's example available as a reference, she ventured to choose them.

Sophia and Marshall Wellington were looking at each other, though her face was still hidden.

-This win of yours is only temporary. – Wellington talked to her. – Sooner or later, my forces will find out something is not right here, and you killing me will only make someone else take over me and send the forces back outside. You're out of moves.

-Is that so, I wonder. – She played.

-Why do you keep your face hidden? If you are planning to kill me, why would you keep your identity a secret? Or is it that you are someone I know?

-Mmm, you're sharp, Marshal. However, I'll be the one to decide whether or not to show you my face. Like I said before, you are in no position to demand answers, but I can ask of you as much as I wish.

-What else could you possibly want to ask me?

-How about the truth of the events 9 years ago? – Sophia's voice got graver suddenly.

Wellington frowned at the unexpected question. The nature of the motives driving the one who had him hostage was becoming more apparent.

-Nine years ago?

-Back then, you were a only a General but close to be promoted to Marshal. You should be aware of this event involving Lelouch vi Britannia.

The Marshal suppressed a gasp, but his eyes could not help showing utter shock. That infamous name was not the type anyone could utter freely.

-What nonsense are you talking about? – He asked after regaining some composure. – Lelouch vi Britannia was killed nearly 2 decades ago!

-Is that so? – Sophia asked gravely, not amused. – Then, what do you think happened 9 years ago, more specifically, the night before Prince Samuel and Princess Sophia vi Britannia were adopted by King Schneizel?

Wellington's face was no longer able to contain its confusion. Sophia took a step closer and shortened the distance between the rifle's barrel and his head to emphasize her running out of patience.

-Their parents, who were Viscounts, died in a fire, leaving them orphaned and…

-I said I wanted the truth! – Sophia shouted at him for the first time. – Don't give me those frigging rumors!

Right then, Sophia took off the helmet. Her short but bright green hair framed her face. Her serious violet eyes looked at him directly.

Marshal Marshall Wellington was shell-shocked.

-Princess Sophia… - He whispered in something akin to disbelief.

His countenance made it obvious he could not figure out a reason for her to side with terrorists, but Sophia couldn't care less. Activating her left eye, the sigil of Geass appeared in it.

-You will answer my questions truthfully. – She ordered.

-Yes, Your Highness. – He submitted.

-What happened that night?

-I along with others was ordered to assault a house in the outskirts of Minovah, where a family of four lived.

Sophia gritted her teeth in pure contempt, but she could not stop listening keenly.

-There were two adults, a couple, and two children. We were not told anything regarding them, but we knew they were civilians. We were ordered to apprehend both the adults. The children were separated forcefully from the couple, whom we assumed were their parents. I do not know what became of the adults, as I was in charge of transporting the two children to a location where they would ride a helicopter. Their destination was unknown to me. I heard later they were adopted by the King, who said they did not deserve to suffer because their parents were traitors to the Empire. I did not understand, but no details were given to me regarding the King's reasons or the treasonous acts of which the couple was accused.

Sophia needed a moment to regain control of her own thoughts. She dragged a random chair and sat down. She even placed the rifle aside, no longer feeling strong enough to carry it.

-Do you not know the couple's whereabouts? – She asked.

-I do not, but Jonathan Lewis might.

A mysterious glister shone in her eyes at his words.

-Why would he know?

-Because he along with King Schneizel was to receive both of them after their capture.

-I see. – She replied automatically. - What about Prince Samuel vi Britannia? Where is he? Is he alive?

-He has disappeared as far as we know. Nobody knows what became of him. I believe he might have adopted a fake identity, but we have not found him yet after searching for him for years.

Sophia felt disappointed with each sentence he made. She truly wanted to cry but dared not to. Even though he would not remember the sight of her tears, she still refused to cry in front of a person representative of Britannia's power. It would make her feel as if she was losing to Britannia, as if her goal was far from true, and she could not afford to believe herself incapable of completing what she had already begun.

She needed a few minutes to calm down. Then a question she had not planned to ask tempted her mind.

-Does the name 'Z two' ring a bell? – She asked him.

-I only know he is somehow related to B.B.

Sophia frowned.

-Who is 'B two'?

-I myself do not know for sure. I have only read about him in a confidential file that was to be sent to Rosenberg Institute, titled with the initials 'Z.B.', but I could not take a deeper look into it, so I know no more.

Sophia tried to think about it carefully. She was aware of the existence of Rosenberg Institute, for she had the habit of sneaking into Schneizel's private library occasionally when that was all she could do to find out if anything on her brother had been discovered; she knew Schneizel did not plan to ever tell her anything regarding it.

Rosenberg Institute, also known as Code R, was dedicated to researching Geass and also developed technology kept secret from the public. That was all she knew about it.

They were interrupted by the sound of the Marshal's device ringing; someone was trying to communicate with him, someone who was not among the ones she had set her control over as she made her way to that room.

_I am running out of time. _

She felt disappointed for not having ended with more questions than answers, but she at least had a name for reference. Although she knew it was better to approach Schneizel, he was too dangerous to approach too soon. She could not let him discover her newly acquired power before she was strong enough to stop him from taking it away from her.

There was still one more issue she wanted to ask him about.

-What happened in Zero's execution? Was Suzaku Kururugi truly killed that time?

-The King himself took the responsibility of killing Zero. He was the only one present in his execution. The Black Knights attempted to stop him, but it seems they failed as there was an army defending the place. I was among them. They suffered great losses, but some managed to escape without leaving a trace. It is unknown what happened in the room of execution. The King claimed he had the body taken care of, and there were traces of blood in the floor, but that was all. Nothing was known of the Suzaku Kururugi's body.

Sophia sighed. He knew just as much as she knew before.

-You seem to be of no further use to me, Marshal.

Having said those words, she picked up the rifle and pulled the trigger.

She groaned as the force of the huge weapon threw her aback, making the chair's wheels roll back nearly a meter.

The sight in front of her was that of the dead body of Marshall Wellington. He was the only man she had killed that night with her own hands.

Putting on her helmet again, she proceeded to abandon the room before anyone came in. Her disguise helped her escape the War Tower, where havoc was gradually increasing.

Z.Z. sat up from the ground. He had come back to life soon after Smith left. He had been lying there thinking. When he heard the Marshal's words through the sound equipment of the War Tower, he admitted he was impressed to see she was following Zero's step more accurately than she realized. She had obtained victory with the enemy's retreat.

He stood up and picked up his bloody coat, throwing it over his left shoulder. With his coat lied Sophia's school uniform, also dirty, though not as much.

Momentarily, he recalled the pocket watch from earlier. She had sighed over it. Curious, he pulled it out of her skirt's pocket and opened it. There he saw a picture under the lid. He immediately noted the girl other than Sophia. Those green eyes were just like the ones of the woman that had killed him just then. It was too much of a coincidence to be one. He remembered Sophia asking him not to shoot at her earlier as well…

He closed his eyes, slightly disappointed. _She still doesn't get it, does she? She cannot hold on to memories of the past. She cannot spare an enemy because she knows her… She might have pulled through this, but I still must scold her for this. What are you thinking, Snow? How will anything you do now be successful if you're unwilling to go with it all the way through? …This girl… Lelouch, she definitely is your daughter._

I want a pocket watch like that one! Who offers to make it and give it to me as a gift? ^w^ As always, I appreciate tips for writing action with mecha, since I'm new in it. I am aware they are not very interesting. Should I give more details on the fighting scenes or am I not being vague enough? Yes, I love flashbacks…! …Alright, I truly apologize for having delayed this chapter half a year! 16 weekly hours of college can do that to me, but I am done with that semester. Then I took summer courses… I have been busy, and this story in specific requires quite a lot of thought and time, so I cannot possibly update often. It also involves plenty of research of the original story; I can spend an entire day in the Code Geass Wikia (which I recommend because it's very complete and helpful). No, I'm not discouraged. Sometimes I think I am, but I suddenly get inspired, refine this plot and realize I just can't drop this. I was aware this one would be especially challenging before publishing the first chapter. It's Code Geass after all! I want to make a story worthy of such an amazing fandom. Please believe me, I took this challenge knowingly, and I won't back down on it just because it's tough. Overcoming this should make me a better writer. I humbly ask for your patience for this story's updates. Thank you very much for being my readers. _Pop quiz time!_ This one's easy. Deduce Sophia's birthday and the last day she saw her brother! Also, can you guess where I got the number sequence for the electronic code lock from? Hint: You'll find the reason within this very window.


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